VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 341 



POLYGONUM AVICULARE.— ^ ^ (Pien-hsii). This 

 is the ordinary knot-grass^ or goose-grass^ growing by the 

 road-side and spreading out so as to cover the ground. The 

 stem is covered with a white powder, and on this account the 

 plant is called ^ |^ ]^ (Fen-chieh-ts'ao). The whole plant 

 is used in medicine and its juice is prescribed in itching affec- 

 tions of the skin, venereal sores, especially in women, and as a 

 diuretic and anthelmintic remedy. Piles is one of the diffi- 

 culties for which it is specially recommended. 



POLYGONUM BISTORTA.— ^ ^ (Tzu-shen), ^ ^ 

 (Ch'iian-shen), ^^ ^ (Mou-meng). These are not identified 

 with each other in the Pentsao. Neither is described in any 

 detail, and all furnish a dark purple or black root. That from 

 the first is considered to be antifebrile, diuretic, and laxative. 

 It is prescribed in hemorrhages, wounds, tumors, anemorrhoea, 

 ague, and fluxes. It stirs up the dual principles. The second 

 is used in dropsy. 



POLYGONUM BLUMEL— J^ p (Ma-liao). This is 

 also called ^ ^ (Ta-liao). The second character is generic 

 for Polyg07iiiui. The plant grows to the height of four or five 

 feet, and the leaves are marked b\- a black splotch in the 

 center. It is the same as Polygoinun Persicaria. The stalk 

 and leaves are used in medicine as a vermicide. 



POLYGONUM CHINENSE, Polygomnn cyvwsiim.—^. 

 %M (Ch'ih-ti-li). This is the ilj ^' ^ (Shan-ch'iao-mai), 

 or "hill-buckwheat." It grows in mountain valleys, has a 

 red stem, green leaves, and bears a white flower, followed by 

 greenish seeds. The root resembles that of Smilax^ has a 

 purplish-red skin and a yellowish-red interior. It is adminis- 

 tered in all sorts of fluxes, as an anthelmintic, in insect and 

 scorpion poisoning, for this last both internally and the bruised 

 plant is applied locally. 



POLYGONUM CUSPIDATUM.— J^ j^ (Hu-chang). 

 The stem of this is covered with spots, and for this reason 

 it is also called Jg )^ (Pan-chang). The plant is some- 



