206 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



red, but several colors are mentioned. The bark, as in the 

 case of many malvaceons shrubs, is used for rope making. 

 The leaves and the flowers are the parts used in medicine, and 

 they are evidently demulcent, and are by the Chinese con- 

 sidered to be expectorant, cooling, antidotal to all kinds of 

 poison, and anodyne. They are prescribed in old coughs, 

 menorrhagia, dysuria, and wounds, especially burns and scalds 

 that are slow in healing. Another name for this plant, as 

 given by Faber, is ^ ^ (Chiu-k'uei), but what is said about 

 this name in the Chinese books does not clearly indicate what 

 it is. It is stated that the (Chiu-k'uei) is planted in the 

 autumn and the ^ ^ (Tung-k'uei) is planted in the winter. 

 For this last see Malva verticillata. 



HIBISCUS ROSASINENSIS.— ^ # (Fu-sang). Fu- 

 saug is mentioned in the ancient books as the name of a 

 fabulous tree behind which the sun is supposed to rise. It 

 also refers to the name of a country where the plant grows, 

 and which has been variously identified as Saghalien, Japan, 

 and America. Professor Neuman confounded this plant with 

 Agave niexicana^ and upon this identification built up a hy- 

 pothesis of the discovery of America by the Chinese, The shrub 

 grows to the height ot four or five feet, and the flowers show 

 red, yellow, and white varieties. The red is called Jc ^^S (Chu- 

 chiu) and ^ ^ (Ch'ih-chinV A wrong writing of the first 

 name is ^ ^ (Fo-sang). A name common to this and other 

 malvaceous plants is Q ^ (Jih-chi). The leaves and the flow- 

 ers are. used medicinally only in combination with other drugs, 

 beaten into a paste and applied as a poultice to cancerous 

 swellings and mumps. 



HIBISCUS SYRIACUS.— 7|C \% (Mu-chiii). It is also 

 called ^ (Jih-chi), because the flowers open in the morning 

 and fall off before evening. Another name is ^ H ;^ (Fan-li- 

 ts'ao), because it is used for making hedges, being cultivated 

 for this purpose. It bears beautiful red flowers, much resem- 

 bling those of Althea rosea. The bark and root are used 

 in medicine. The taste is mucilaginous, and they are used as 

 demulcent and antifebrile remedies in diarrhoeas, dysenteries, and 

 dysmenorrhoea. Locally, they are also applied in all sorts of 



