258 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



description of the plant. Its leaves are said to resemble those 

 of PJiytolacta or Rheitvt^ and both these and the stem are 

 hirsute. The root externally is yellow, but within is white. 

 It is exceedinly poisonous, and is used to destroy birds and 

 beasts, especially rats and other vermin. Its medicinal action 

 is that of a sedative in coughs, angina, and colic. It is 

 also used as a parasiticide in the ^ (Klu) disease and in 

 parasitic skin diseases. Combined with another unidentified 

 plant called |^ '% (Yeh-ko), it is used in the treatment of 

 deafness. 



MANGROVE BARK.— The RhizopJtora 7nangle does not 

 seem to grow in China ; but, according to Bowra, the bark is 

 imported from Siam and Singapore, and is used to dye or 

 tan the sails, cordage, and nets of sailors and fishermen. 

 The name given is f% ^ (K'ao-p'i), but this first character 

 evidently refers to an upland tree, and it is made identical 

 in the Pentsao with Ccdrela si)icnsis. Another suggested 

 identification is Platycaria strobilacca. In the Customs Lists 

 ^ ;^ (K'ao-hua), 591, and ^ ^ (K'ao-kuo), 592, are given, 

 but no identification is suggested. A name given for man- 

 grove bark in Giles' Dictionary is ^ ^ (Ch'ieh-ting), but 

 from what source this term is derived does not appear. It 

 is not known that the Chinese use the bark for any medic- 

 inal purpose, although both it and the fruits are excellent 

 astringents. 



MANNA. — ^ % (Kan-lu) is a term that is used in Chi- 

 nese translations of Indian books to express what is meant by 

 the Sanscrit word anirita\ the food of the Devas, and it is 

 used in China for manna-like substances, of which there are 

 several. One is produced on a coniferous tree, and resembles 

 the manna of Brian9on. A similar substance, called "tt ^ ^* 

 (Kan-lu-mi), is described' as occurring on a small plant in Sze- 

 chuan, Samarcand, and Arabia. Under the head of $^ "^ 

 , (T'zn-mi) or '^ "^ (Ts'ao-mi), a clear, honey-like substance 

 is spoken of as coming from Tangut, and produced upon a 

 leafless plant, called ^ $l] (Yang-tz'u). The Turckic tribes 

 are said to call this substance % '|fc -^ (Ghi-p'o-lo). The 



