268 BOTANICON SINICUM. 
The 2h ya [26] writes the character with the radical 
** plants,” and calls it ribbon plant. 4) 
Witurams [ Dict., 1098] thinks that it may be a species of 
Phalaris or canary grass. I may observe that our European 
ribbon grass, the Phalaris arundinacea, L., is a common plant — 
in North China, [Compare ‘n/va, 461.] 
455.—There appear in the Classics a number of Chinese 
names of plants referring evidently to reeds, rushes, sedges 
and the like. Only a few of these terms are. still in use; 
the greater part have disappeared, probably a long time ago, 
from the spoken language. os 
We have first the # wei and the jf lu, both names applied — 
in Northern China to the common reed Arundo phragmites, L. 
Three or four more names for reeds, now obsolete, occurring — 
in the odes of the Shi king, ave said by some of the ancient — 
commentators to refer to the various stages in the process of : 
growth of the common reed or others. I quote the passages 
where these names are mentioned :— 5 
Shi king, 104:—Who says that the jaf Ho (Yellow River) 
is wide? With a bundle of reeds (#E wei) I can eross it. 
228 [“ Life in Pin ”] :—In the eighth month are the sedges 
(FE huan) and reeds (3% wei). 337 :—Deep looks the 
pool and abundantly grow the rushes (7 /uwan) and reeds 
(Hf wei), 472:—In thick patches are those rushes (= 
wei) by the way. Let not the cattle and sheep trample 
them, - 
Hia Calendar, 80 [tA ¥e 8 % |. Dovenas translates 
In the seventh month flourish the creeping plants and rushes. 
The fourth character, kuan, which Doveras_ renders y 
_ereeping plants, is evidently a mistake for 7£ Auan. See the 
corresponding sentence [above quoted] Shi king, 228 [* ¥ 
in Pin,” ] ; ae 
