40 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



AINIYGDALUS COMMUNUS.— It is pretty certain that 

 this plant does not occur in China. Porter Smith and the 

 Customs Reports erroneously identify this as ^ (Hsing), but 

 this is the apricot, the kernels of which, together with those 

 of the peach and other such fruits, are used in China as a sub- 

 stitute for almonds. The true almond, brought into China 

 from the West, goes by the name of 2» ^ ^ (Pa-tan-hsing) ; 

 the E, 0. referring to some country in Asia Minor, possibly 

 another name for Persia. (See Pru7ius.) 



ANDROPOGON SCHCENANTHUS.— ^f (Mao-hsiang), 

 417. This, as identified by Loureiro, is a fragrant grass used 

 in baths. It grows in Fukien, and is also called ^ ||jji, (Hsiang- 

 ma) ; its common name being ^ ^[1 \^ (j\Iao-ju-ma), "hemp- 

 like grass." The grass is dark in color, and bears a white 

 flower. It is also said to be found in Shensi and Kuangtung. 

 There is an Anamese variety, called ^ ^ ^ (Pai-mao-hsiang), 

 which is used for the same purposes as the other. Besides its 

 use in scenting baths, in which it is considered to have a bene- 

 ficial influence in curing eruptions of the skin, it is used 

 internally in digestive troubles, being regarded as a bland, 

 stimulating, and carminative remedy. 



ANEMARHENA ASPHODELOIDES. — ^91 # (Chih- 

 mu). This is a liliaceous plant found growing plentifully in 

 the Peking mountains. The rhizome is the part used. This 

 is said to resemble the rhizome of Aconis. It has but little 

 taste or smell. The flowers resemble those of the Allhun 

 odorjim. The plant is found in nearly all of the provinces north 

 of the Yangtse ; but the Customs lists (136) give Chihli as the 

 source of supply for commerce. The drug occurs in irrregular, 

 flattened, twisted, shriveled pieces, from two to three inches in 

 length, and generally covered with reddish or yellowish-brown 

 hairs, which become scaly at the distal extremity. The smaller 

 pieces are usually much wrinkled, scarred, and nearly free 

 from hairs. The interior is yellow, spongy, or mealy, and the 

 whole drug has a slightly bitter taste and an agreeable odor. 

 Cooling, lenitive, expectorant, and diuretic properties belong 

 to this rhizome, which is used in precisely the same cases for 



