MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 815 
T‘ao Hune-xine :—It is a common wild plant in the 
mountains. Its root has twenty and more tubers attached to 
the root, similar to those of the ¢‘ien men tung [see 176], and 
is of a bitter taste. 
Cu‘en Ts‘ana-x‘r [ 8th cent.]:—The tien men tung 
[see 176] has ten and more short, roundish, fleshy tubers, of a 
sweet taste, attached to its root. The tubers of the po pu are 
50 or 60 in number, stem-like, long, pointed, hollow in the 
centre, bitter. 
.The Ji hua Pen ts‘ao [10th cent.] calls this plant 
BE hit EE po fu ts‘ao. 
Su Sune [11th cent.]:—It is a common plant in Kiang 
[Kiang su, An hui ete., App. 124], Hu [Hu kuang, App. 
83], Shen [Shen si, App. 284], Ts‘i and Lu [Shan tung, 
App. 348, 202]. Twining plant. Large, long, pointed, 
glabrous leaves, somewhat resembling bamboo-leaves. Beneath 
the root about 15 or 16 tubers are produced, of a white 
colour. They are used in medicine. 
The Cheng T‘siao tung chi [12th cent.] states: —The po pu, 
also called po Ju ts‘ao, is used for destroying worms, insects 
and flies. Its leaves resemble those of the shu yii [Dioscorea. 
See 262]. The root is similar to that of the tien men tung. 
Li Sat-cuen :—The po pu has fine leaves like the hui 
hiang (Fennel). It has a green, fat stem, which when young 
is eaten boiled. The root is nearly a foot long. The fresh 
root is fleshy and sueculent, when dried it becomes hollow and 
poor within. It is also called ye (wild) t‘ien men tung. 
Ch., XXII, 32 :—Po pu. ‘The figure represents a plant 
with oblong tubers. It seems Roxburghia is intended. The 
descriptions of the ancient Chinese authors agree, with the 
exception of Li Su1-cnEn’s statement regarding the leaves. 
Lovr., Fl. cochin., 490 :—Stemona tuberosa [Roxburghia 
gloriosoides, Kth.]. Sinice: pe pu tsao, Caule scandente, 
