VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 1 63 



these are classed along with such things as Aindera.nd Pachyma 

 cocos under the general heading of ^ /fc (Yii-mu), "dwellers 

 on wood." These epiphytes have been identified as varieties of 

 Lora7itJms and Visciim^ and will be treated of under those titles. 

 (See also Dendrobiiim^ Fiingi^ Mushrooms^ ari Packy7?ia.) 



EQUISETUM ARVENSE.— Pp! fll (Wan-ching). This 

 is spoken of in the Pentsao under the next article, from which 

 it does not seem to be clearly distinguished. It is said to grow 

 in Hi by the side of streams, to have a shoot similar to that 

 of Eqieiseium hyemale^ and on account of its peculiar jointed 

 appearance, it is sometimes called ^ |i ^ (Chieh-hsil-ts'ao). 

 It is prescribed in decoction as an anodyne and carminative. 



EQUISETUM HYEMALE.— Tf; US (Mu-tsei), 877. This 

 is found in Kansu and Shensi growing in watery places. It is 

 likened to, and perhaps sometimes confounded with. Ephedra. 

 It grows to considerable length, and, on account of the large 

 amount of silicious material which it incloses, is used to 

 polish wood. The drug, as used by the Chinese, consists of 

 the leafless, striated, fistular stems, deprived of their cuticular 

 sheathes, and reduced to a coarse powder. It is used as an 

 astringent remedy in a variety of difficulties, such as ophthal- 

 mia, fluxes, menorrhagia, leucorrhcea, epiphora, various 

 hemorrhages, and prolapse of the rectum. It is also recom- 

 mended in irritable uterus during pregnancy, and as an anti- 

 dote in case of having swallowed copper cash. 



ERANTHIS KEISKIL— ^ ^ (T'u-k'uei). This is a 

 Japanese identification. It is not certain that this may not 

 be an Anemone^ a Hibiscus^ or a Malva. The figures and 

 descriptions given in the Chinese books are not clear. It is 

 also called ^ ^ (T'ien-k'uei) and ^ % '^ (Lei-wan-ts'ao). 

 It seems to be a small Malva-like plant, bearing a white flower, 

 and with thick green leaves, slightly purplish on the under 

 side. Its habitat is said to be Szechuan. The medical use of 

 the shoot is as an antilithic, and it is said to be antidotal and 

 anodyne in case of animal and reptile bites. The shoot seems 

 to be the only part recommended for use in medicine. 



