164 BOTANICON SINICUM. 
85.—#F FE k'u yao, P.. XV, 47. T., CLXI. 
Pie lu:—K'‘u (bitter) yao. Leaves used in medicine. 
Taste bitter. Nature slightly cold. Non-poisonous. It can 
also be eaten. 
T‘ao Hune-Kine:—The k‘u yao is a common plant. 
The people of Ch‘eng [Ho nan, App. 17] eat the stem raw. 
Han Pao-sHena:—It grows in low, damp places. 
The stem is round, not spiny, and can be eaten raw. Seeds 
like those of the mao ki [cat’s thistle. See sub 83]. 
Ii Sui-cnen :—This is the plant hou or yao of the 
Eth ya [62]. It (the stem) is of the thickness of a finger, and 
hollow inside. At the top of the stem is a flower-head like 
that of the k (thistle). The young plant can be eaten. 
The people of Che tung [Che kiang, App. 10] at the ts‘ing 
ming feast (in spring) gather the young plants and eat 
them. It is believed that then they will not be afflicted 
with sores for a year. The juice of the plant is mixed with 
rice for food. In the Tsao hua chi nan (an alchemistic work) 
the plant is called ## PR k‘w pan, the larger kind # #i 
ku tsie. Its leaves resemble those of the ti huang [Reh- 
mannia. See 100], and are of a bitter taste. When young 
they are downy. In summer the stem developes. It is covered 
with hair. The flowers are white and numerous, the fruit 1s 
small. That kind which bears neither flowers nor fruit 18 
called Hj W@ HE tz tan ts‘ao (ground gall plant). Its juice 
is bitter, like gall. This plant is common in damp places. 
Ch. XIV, 6:—K‘u yao. The drawing represents 
leaves of a spiny plant. 
So moku, XV, 41 :—# 3E Cnicus nipponicus, Maxim. 
86.— Hg It lou lu. P.. XV,47. 7T., CXXXIIL 
Pen king :—Lou lu, EF BA ye lan. Root and ame 
officinal. Taste saltish. Nature cold. Non-poisonous. 
