326 BOTANICON SINICUM. 
provinces than in Eastern China. The Chinese character 
applied to the plant is derived from Pi (west). 
Hay Pao-snene [10th cent.]:—This plant is also called é 
Yu PE BL jang fei ts‘ao (plant which dyes a dark red colour), : 
Its leaves resemble jujube-leaves, are pointed and have a broad : 
base (heart-shaped). Stem and leaves scabrous. The leaves 
issue from the joints, 5 together. It climbs on herbaceous 
plants and trees. The root is purplish red. It is taken up a 
in the 8th month, ; 
Su Sune [11th cent.]:—It is now much cultivated in e 
gardens. The Shi ki (Historical Records) state, that a man — 
who plants a thousand mou (acres) with the ¢s‘ien and the — 
chi*' plants, is considered to equal in wealth a nobleman who — 
possesses thousand families, This proves the great importance i 
of these plants. 
Li Sut-cen :—The ts‘ien ts‘ao begins to grow in the 
12th month [in January]. It is a twining plant several feet 
long, with a square stem, hollow inside, covered with small 
prickles, It has joints several inches apart. Five leaves issue 
from every joint. The leaves, which resemble the wu y@ 
leaves (Daphnidium myrrha), are scabrous, and darker on ed ; 
upper side. It blossoms in the 7th or 8th month, ‘The fruit 
is like that of the tsiao (Zanthoxylon), with small seeds within. 
The plant has many names, viz. Jil FA, Rg hie kien to 
iil Hi Jeng chée ts‘ao, DU KK FE BE sz‘ tien wang chang, - 
WY Hk HE BG BE 82 yo kin yang tsao, YQ #h BL se pulse — 
$i HE AL tie t'a ts‘ao and 38 IL) BH kuo shan lung. These — 
names are from Taoist books, 
Ch., XXII, 20 :—Ts‘ien ts‘ao. The figure represents ‘ 
Rubia cordifolia, L.—See also Kiu huang, LII, 24 sub 
So By BG i‘u tstien miao. 
* Another tinctorial plant, Gardenia, See 335, 
