VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 207 



itchy and painful skin diseases. The flowers, 858, are similarly 

 employed, and are sometimes made a substitute for tea. This 

 is called -fX '^ :^ (Hung-hua-ch'a), and comes from Kiangsi. 

 They are considered to be quieting to the stomach and diuretic. 

 The seeds are employed in headaches and colds, and are also 

 used, combined with pig marrow, as an application to discharg- 

 ing ulcers. 



HIEROCHLOE BOREAUS.— j^^^ (Pai-mao-hsiang). 

 This grass is said to have its habitat in Annam. The Taoists 

 use it as a bitter herb. It is to be distinguished from Audro- 

 Pogon^ Heteropogon and Imperata, The root is the part used 

 in medicine, and it is said to give a fragrance to the whole 

 body and to be warming to the viscera when taken internally. 

 Mixed with peach leaves and made into a decoction, it is added 

 to bath water for the treatment of skin diseases in children. 



HIRNEOLA. — See Exidia auricula judcs. 



HORDEUM VULGARE.— :A: ^ (Ta-mai). The classical 

 name is J^ (Mou). Notwithstanding the fact that this cereal 

 was known to the Chinese from very early times, it has not 

 for a long time been much cultivated by them. They do not 

 seem to have esteemed it highly as food, and have not used it 

 extensively in the manufacture of spirituous liquors ; millet and 

 rice being most frequently used for this latter purpose. An- 

 other name by which it is called in the Chinese books is |^ ^ 

 (K'o-mai). Several varieties of barley are grown, and these 

 seem for the most part to be divided between two species, 

 namely, that given above and |^ ^ (Kung-mai), the so-called 

 ^^ Hacked barley^'''' which separates from the chaff in the same 

 manner as does wheat. Another possible species is spoken of, 

 on account of its glutinous qualities named ||| ^ (No-mai). 

 This has not been identified, but is used for making wine. 

 The Kting-viai is grown in Szechuan and Shantung as food 

 for men, but for the most part either kind of grain is used to 

 feed horses. It is probable that formerly the grain was of 

 much more importance than it is now. As found in the 

 market, the kernel is longer and not so plump as that found in 



