VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 247 



T.he flowers, vine, and leaves are employed in medicine. Pro- 

 longed use is said to increase vitality and to lengthen life. 

 Antifebrile, corrective, and astringent properties are ascribed, 

 and it is used in the treatment of all sorts of infections and 

 poisons. A wine (fg, ^ }0, Jen-tung-chiu) and a plaster (^^, 

 ^ W» Jen-tung-kao) are officinal. The dried flowers in the 

 Chinese medicine shops have a smell resembling that of some 

 kinds of tobacco. 



LOPHANTHUS RUGOSUS.— H ^ (Ho-hsiang), 371. 

 This plant does not seem to be indigenous to China, being 

 referred to Annani, India, and other parts of Southern Asia. 

 A number of Sanscrit and other foreign names are given in the 

 P^ntsao for it. The plant is cultivated in Lingnan. The 

 branches and leaves are used in medicine ; their principal 

 virtues being considered to be carminative and stomachic. 

 They are also used in cholera and as a deodorizing mouth 

 wash. The nausea of pregnancy is another difficulty for which 

 they are recommended. It is possible that Bctonica officinalis 

 is included under this term. If so, it is interesting to note that 

 this remedy is recommended both in the Herbarium of Appulius 

 aud in the Pentsao as a remedy for the consequences of the 

 excessive use of wine. 



LOPHATHERUM ELATUM.— ^|^ ft % (Tan-chu-yeh). 

 This gramineous plant is found growing plentifully in wild, 

 waste land. Its leaves somewhat resemble those of the bam- 

 boo. The root is dug up and mixed with fermenting cereals 

 in the production of wine, giving to the latter a peculiarly 

 agreeable aroma. The leaves are antifebrile and diuretic. 

 The root is said to be a certain abortifacient. For this reason 

 it is called ^% ^ (Sui-kuTtzu), " bone-breaker." 



IvORANTHUS.— The term ^ ^ (Chi-sheng), 58, 1320, 

 properly means an epiphyte ; and without doubt the Chinese 

 include under this term species of Lora7iihus, as well as of 

 Viscum. It is used to explain the terms '% (Niao) and -^ ^ 

 (Nii-lo), which respectively are the mistletoe and dodder. The 

 distinction betweeu Loranthns and Pisciun is not clearly made, 



