232 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



LATHYRUS MARITIMUS.— |f "^ S (Yeh-wan-tou). 

 In the Pentsao this is discussed under the term f^{ (Wei), and 

 part of the description evidently refers to a leguminous plant, 

 although this latter character is more properly applied to a 

 fern {Osmunda regalis). In Peking the same term is used for 

 Vicia gigantea. In Japan the classification at the head of this 

 article is the recognised one, although ^ f§ (Ch'iao-yao) is also 

 called Lathyriis inaritinms and Vicia hirsuta. In the Pentsao 

 the plant under consideration is said to grow by river courses 

 and on marshy ground, although there is said to be a highland 

 variety. It is used as a pot-herb, and upon prolonged use it is 

 said to be very nourishing and to greatly benefit the intestinal 

 tract. It is also thought to be tonic to the urinary organs. 



LAWSONIA ALBA.— ^ ^a f ii^ (Jau-chih-chia-ts'ao), 

 ^ \i^ (Hai-na). The leaves of this lythraceous plant, which 

 grows all over South China, is used by women and children as 

 a finger-nail dye ; hence the Chinese names, the second of 

 which is in imitation of the Arabian henna. In the Pentsao 

 these Chinese names are mentioned under the article on Im- 

 paticns balsamina^ because in North China this latter plant is 

 used in combination with alum as a finger-nail dye. But no 

 description oi Lazvsonia is there given. In India the 5'ellowish- 

 white flowers of this plant are used, together with the leaves, 

 in preparing an extract which is used as a remedy for leprosy. 

 The leaves contain gallic acid, and are therefore astringent. 

 They are used by the natives of India for making a poultice 

 to be applied to bruises and "burning feet." It is probable 

 that the plant was introduced into China from India or Arabia 

 at a very early period. The plant may indeed be Anchusa 

 {Alicanna) tinctoria. 



Under the name of jp" ^ ^ (Chih-chia-hua), the Pentsao 

 mentions a plant which it says resembles /f; 1^ (Mu-hsi), 

 OsmantJms fragj-ans^ in odor, and which bears yellow and 

 white flowers, and is superior to Pnpatiens balsainina for dye- 

 ing the finger nails. This may refer to Latvsonia. It is men- 

 tioned in the Pentsao in a foot-note to the article on Jasmiimm 

 officinale. In the K^iang-chiin-fang-pit it receives a somewhat 

 fuller description as a shrub, growing to the height of five or 



