ii^6 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



spring before the plant has flowered, at which time the color- 

 ing matter will be found to be very bright. If gathered after 

 flovvering, the color has become deeper, and is considered to be 

 inferior in quality. The root is the part used in medicine, 

 and it is said to act on the blood, to be derivative to the skin 

 and all of the passages of the body, especially the intestinal 

 canal and urinary tract. It is also prescribed in skin affec- 

 tions, and especially in eruptive fevers, being supposed to 

 bring out eruption and to neutralize the poison. 



LITSEA GLAUCA.— ^ i^ (Yiieh-kuei). There is an 

 old tradition that this tree grows in the moon, and that its 

 fruits fall to earth and are found on the ground. This legend 

 dates from the Tang and Sung dynasties. The Ta7ig History 

 says that in A.D. 868, at Taichow in Chekiang, these berries 

 fell during a period of more than ten days. Also during the 

 Sung dynasty, during the reign of T'ien-sheng (1023-7032), 

 at the monastery of Lingyin at Hangchow, the berries fell 

 during fifteen moonlight nights. Li Shih-chen gives a 

 number of other legends in regard to this tree and its fruits. 

 In the Taoist books it is called /f {}$ ^ (Pu-shih-hua), and it 

 is not permitted to be offered in sacrifice. The only difficulty 

 for which the seeds are recommended to be used is as a local 

 application in ringworm of the scalp in children. 



LOBELIA RADICANS.— if^ Jt % (Pan-pien-lien), 974. 

 This is a small plant growing in moist ground, having small 

 leaves and flowers ; the latter being reddish-purple in color. 

 The juice is expressed and used on snake and insect bites, and 

 the plant is used in decoction in the treatment of fever, asthma, 

 ague, and the like. 



LONICERA JAPONICA.— S, ^ (jen-tung), 555, ^ ^ 

 1^ (Chin-yin-t'eng), 162-165. Li Shih-chen gives a good 

 description of this Chinese honeysuckle^ or woodbine. The 

 first Chinese name refers to the plant not withering during 

 the winter, and the second to the fact that the flowers, which 

 are at first white, afterwards become yellow, and as they do 

 not fall early, the plant bears both colors at the same time. 



