VEGETABLE KINGDOM. I 55 



which account it receives its name of "magpie bean." 

 Bretschneider says that it is the same as the ^jj- ^ (Liao-tou) 

 mentioned in tlie Customs Lists, 718. Tiie Pentsao does not 

 distinguish between this and Dolichos lab/ab, and does not 

 assign to it any special medical properties. 



DOLICHOS LABLAB.— ^ £ (Pien-tou), 102 1. Com- 

 mon names are y^ ,|| ^_ (. Yen-li-tou), "fence-climbing bean," 

 from its climbing habit, and 4J? ^ Jl (E-mei-tou), from the 

 appearance of the seed. The young pods of this bean are 

 eaten as a vegetable, and the ripe seeds are also eaten boiled. 

 The seed is, according to variety, black, white, red, and 

 variegated. Only the white bean, 957, is discussed in the 

 Pintsao^ where it is said that those suffering from fevers should 

 not eat it. It is tonic to the viscera, and if eaten habit- 

 ually, will prevent the hair from turning gray. Taken with 

 vinegar, it is used in cholera morbus. It relieves flatulence, 

 is anti-vinous and antidotal to fish poison, as well as to every 

 form of vegetable poison. It relieves diarrhoea, reduces fever 

 heat from sunstroke, and quenches thirst. The flowers are 

 prescribed in menorrhagia and leucorrhoea, besides being recom- 

 mended in the same diseases as the beau. The leaves are also 

 employed in similar cases, and applied as a poultice in snake 

 bite. Even the vine is used as a medicament in cholera. 



DOLICHOS SINENSIS, Dolichos umbellatjis.—^ ^ 

 (Chiang-tou). This is a cultivated bean, found in several 

 varieties ; the pods varying in color. The virtues ascribed are 

 those of "controlling the viscera, benefiting the breath, restor- 

 ing the kidneys, strengthening the stomach, harmonizing the 

 abdominal organs, subduing the passions, preserving life, in- 

 vigorating the marrow, quenching thirst, preventing nausea, 

 checking diarrhoea and frequent urination." 



DRABA NEMORALIS.— p ^ (l^'^g-li), 1307. The 

 plant to which is applied this Chinese name is evidently a 

 crucifer, with the probabilities in favor of the above identifica- 

 tion. Tatarinov called it Sisymbrium ; Lonreiro, Lcpidiu7n 

 petresuni ; and in Japan the name is applied i'j Nasturtium 



