LIII.-HUANG-CH'I. 
(Astragalus Henryi, Oliv., and other species.) 
(With Plate.) 
The Chinese drug Huang-ch'i is in considerable repute all oyer 
China. There are many kinds of this drug furnished by different 
species of Astraga7n<i,i\\n\ possibly of allied genera— plants of a 
herbaceous character with a thickened woody root-stock, which is 
the part valued. Chinese books acknowledge the existence of 
three or four kinds of the drug and one kind is figured in 
Chih-ivu-ming, vii. 3. 
The Huang-ch'i exported from the northern ports (Newchwang, 
Tientsin, Chefoo) is furnished in part, if not entirely, by 
As/ragulus Ifnatttrhg, Franch., and A. mongholicus, Bunge. The 
first-named was discovered in Mongolia by Pere David and is 
described in Franchet's PI. David, i , p. 8(1. * It is a very distinct 
1 hint with 8-12 pairs of leaflets and a much infro Hexed suture in 
rll,< legume. .-I. mnnghnJirim is allied to A. f/rm't/i. Oliv., but has 
smaller and more numerous leaflets, and larger legumes containing 
six or more seeds. In Central China (Hupeh, East Szechuan, and 
probably Shensi) the drug is furnished |, v A. Ifr»,i/i, Oliv., a 
liu'ure el which accompanies this note. In Western Szechuan it is 
"\ A. utoujnnnisis, Franch. In other parts of China 
probably other species yield the drug. 
; In Japan Huang-ch'i is furnished by A. reflezistipulus, Miq., and 
!. nt, ; , y' r ^'"Isby A.adsnrgn,,, Pall.,'and IJnh/sarNm rsruh-^m, 
.;; "J"-;. Httang-ch i is exported from the provinces of Manchuria, 
fitting, Szechuan and Hupeh to all parts of China chiefly 
I , J ' , j""^ " ! -^ ln\ mg, Tientsin, Chefoo, Ichang and 
') ,. ' • l '" Ti ' ll export from these ports averages about 
th ^l annU ' Tientsin ancl Hankow exporting two-thirds of 
The different varieties of Huang-ch'i are distinguished by various 
oh^H C01 " eu,s,Ch'uan- 
' V; t, : T, S l ' tJ '! ,l, f ,wl in Szechuan; Hsi-ch'i is the variety 
P due,,! in Shensi; Hsi-fen-ch'i is a meal 
ch'i tnP M ei "\ hl "- a T ari f y fr0m Manchuria and Chihli ; T'iao- 
.nchunan kind exported from Newchwan, : IIt,n-dn 
S! ng_P i 1 : ' h kind. The greater p 
by tnfs tr 88 T? *S°* l0hang is 0n arriva * at Hankow called 
ttsin has an 
»lKA££™~^ '^ is esteemed the most 
. ^dTe^S^'i JS » ™W* -lue of Taels 
the northern ports. 
