VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 273 



upper extremity, white in color, exceedingly fragile, and 

 hollow internally. Owing to its shape, it is commonly called 

 % ^MM (Chi-t'ui-mo-ku). This is probably one of the 

 Clavariacese, and may be Pistillaria. Its medicinal action is 

 upon the intestines and stomach, and it is also said to dissolve 

 phlegm and benefit respiration. A club-shaped mushroom, 

 called % if (Chi-tsung) and % "g (Chi-chiin), is found in the 

 sandy plains of Yunnan. A similar kind, called ^ "^ (Lei- 

 chiin), conies from Kiangsi. Both of these are used as food, 

 eaten with tea or cooked with meat broth. They are thought 

 to benefit the stomach, invigorate the spirits, and to cure 

 hemorrhoids. A form growing upon the rudders of old sea- 

 going ships is called from this fact j|g || (To-ts'ai). It is used 

 in the treatment of goitre. 



The poisonous varieties of mushroom go under the names 

 ± f (T'u-chiin), i % (T'u-hsin), % % (Ti-hsin), ^ ^ 

 (Ku-tzu), % W. (Ti-chi), and Jt ^ (Chang-t'ou). These, 

 the more common forms of wild growing mushrooms, or 

 toad-stools, are well described in the Pentsao as to their 

 coarser characteristics. Medicinally they are used, after 

 having been incinerated, in the treatment of ulcers, scaly 

 skin diseases, and foul sores. Another poisonous variety 

 is called ^ a^ (Kuei-pi), on account of its pencil-like form. 

 It is also used in the treatment of skin difficulties, especially 

 those of a parasitic nature. Two non-poisonous varieties of 

 common field mushroom are the ^ ^ (Kuei-kai) and ^ "^ 

 (Ti-chi n). These are used in the treatment of nervous diseases 

 of children. The former is found in yellow and white colors, 

 and the latter is ephemeral, coming up in the morning and 

 fading by noon. A horn-shaped kind, found growing upon the 

 bamboo, or in bamboo groves, is for this reason called fj" ^ 

 (Chu-ju) and f5" I^ (Chu-jon). It is highly esteemed as a 

 vegetable and in the treatment of poisonous effluvia. A mush- 

 room found growing in ponds and marshes, called ^ "^ (Huan- 

 chiin), is very irregular in shape, and was said by one ancient 

 observer to be the metamorphosed excrement of the heron, 

 and for this reason the first character in the name should be 

 written ^| (Huan). It is slightly deleterious, and is therefore 

 not used for food. It is esteemed in cardialgia, insect and 



