VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 461 



X. 



XANTHIUM vSTRUMARIUM.— ^ 5 (Hsi-erh). This 

 is a common weed tliroiighout China. At Peking, and also in 

 the south, it is called ^ I^l (Ts'ang-erh), 1328. Another name 

 is ^ Jf (Chiian-erh); but this in Japan is Cerastiiim ghitino- 

 siim. The fruits are said to look like a woman's ear pendant, 

 and for this reason are called %. ^% (Erh-tang). Because the 

 fruits are prickly and adhere to the fleeces of sheep that are 

 being driven about the country for pasturage, the plant is 

 scattered widely, and for this reason it is sometimes called ^ 

 M ^ (Yang-fu-lai), "sheep-carried-it-here." A number of 

 other names are given, being applied in different parts of the 

 country, and on account of various resemblances or uses. The 

 leaves are eaten, and also used for dyeing yellow. The fruits 

 are considered slightly deleterious, and are used as a tonic, 

 anti-strumous, anti-rheumatic, anti-periodic, and diuretic 

 remedy. The shoot and leaves have cooling and quieting 

 properties ascribed to them, and are used as an astringent and 

 hemostatic. The root, 1329, is not mentioned in the Pentsao^ 

 except as being combined with the leaves in the preparation of 

 an extract (see Extracts in the Appendix). The flowers are 

 recommended in the Appendix of the Pentsao as a remedy 

 in colds. 



XANTHOCERAS SORBIFOLIA.— ;^ % ^ {Wen- 

 kuang-kuo). This beautiful tree grows wild in Tartary, is 

 cultivated in Peking, and is now found in most of the botanical 

 gardens of Europe and x'Vmerica. The Chinese name is found 

 in the Pentsao in a foot-note to the article on Ficus carica; but 

 there is no description of the plant, and none of the fruit, 

 except that it resembles the fig and tastes like the chestnut, 

 being ripe in the fifth moon. No medicinal virtues are 

 ascribed. 



XYLOSMA RACEMOSUM.— ^^ (Tuug-ch'ing). See 

 Ilex pedunculosa and LigKstj'iun hicidicvi. 



