VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 317 



or rectangular pieces, from three to five inches long, rough on 

 the outer surface, and smooth, or striated longitudinally, on 

 the inner surface. The interior is of a deep yellow color, and 

 the taste is very bitter. It varies a good deal in thickness, 

 that from Hupeh province being the thinnest. It is regarded 

 as tonic, diuretic, alterative, aphrodisiac, and antirheumatic. 

 It is prescribed in jaundice, hemorrhoids, fluxes, menstrual 

 difficulties, chancre, sexual incompetence, intestinal worms, 

 nosebleed, dysuria, and favus. This list only includes types 

 of difficulties for which it is prescribed. To see the complete 

 list as given in the Chinese books, one would be led to think 

 that it was a universal panacea. The root is said to be taken 

 for medicinal uses only when one hundred years old. The 

 therapeutic virtues ascribed to it seem to depend upon some 

 mysterious power connected with age and geomantic aspect. 

 It is said to relieve the hundred diseases of the heart and 

 abdomen, to quiet the soul, to relieve hunger and thirst, and if 

 taken for a long time to prolong life and permeate the spirit. 



PHOTINIA GLABRA.— ^^ :^ ^ (Ts'u-lin-tzu). This 

 evergreen tree, with its luxuriant foliage, is said to grow on 

 the hills of Szechuan. It bears white flowers in early summer, 

 and in the winter becomes covered with bunches of red berries, 

 much resembling cherries in appearance. These are dried in the 

 shade, or are pickled by the natives for food. The leaves are 

 sour in taste, and are pickled and eaten with fish. The fruits 

 are recommended in obstinate dysentery, piles, intestinal worms, 

 and jaundice. The pickled fruits are said to be appetizing and 

 peptic, but if taken in excess will make the mouth and tono-ue 

 rough and crack open. 



PHRAGMITES COMMUNIS.—^ (Lu), ^ (Wei), ^ 

 (Chia), also known as Arinido phragmites and Phraginites 

 roxburghii. The flowers are called ^ ^ (P'eng-nung), and 

 the shoot ^ (Ch'iian). Of the names given at the beginning 

 of this article the third is said to indicate the young plant, and 

 is explained by ^ H "excellent ;" the first refers to the stage 

 before blooming, and is explained by ^, "black," denoting 

 its color; the second refers to the reed when it is fully grown, 



