VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 297 



in the Phttsao under this title is a leguminous one, probably 

 Vicia gigantea or Lathyj-ns maritimus. But in the same 

 article the character is made to refer to j^ ^ (Mi-chiieh), which 

 under the article on ^ (Chiieh), Pteris aqiiilina^ is described 

 as a "flowering" fern, thus evidently referring to Osmunda. 

 But it is not distinguished medicinally from Pteris. 



OXALIS CORNICULATA.— g| ff (Tso-chiang), ^ ^E 

 (Suan-chiang), 1204, >]■» |^ ^ (Hsiao-suan-ts'ai). This well 

 known small plant, with its ternate, sour leaves is found in all 

 parts of China. Children like to eat the young fresh leaves. 

 In the fourth moon it bears a small, yellow flower. It 

 is confounded with Rumex japoniais. Cooling, anthelmintic, 

 emmenagogue, diuretic, lithontriptic, astringent, and styptic 

 qualities are referred to the plant, and the juice is held to be 

 antidotal to mercurial and arsenical poisoning, as well as bene- 

 ficial when applied to burns, insect and scorpion bites, and 

 eruptions. 



