240 



NOTES ON CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



1860 62. Bunge. A. contorta is found in the neighbourhood of Pekin, 



ChinelTseeds and occurs als ^ the Am00r Country. 



% %& "? ^oo-sze-tsze ; Seeds of Cuscuta Europcea, L. 

 ((7. major, Bauh.) (Conwlvulacece); Pun-tsaou, Fig. 379 ; 2% m fit, 

 Cleyer, Med. Simp. No. 9 ; Tu-sy-tsy, Tatarinov, CataL Med. 

 Sinens., p. 61. 



Eoundish seeds of a light brown colour, about the size of 

 black mustard. The long filiform embryo, spirally rolled round 

 the fleshy albumen, which is characteristic of the genus Cuscuta, 

 may be readily seen if a seed be soaked in water and its testa 

 then removed. 



Cuscuta. For the species of Cuscuta to which these seeds are referred, 

 I adopt the authority of MM. Hoffmann and Schultes j 1 but 

 although (7. Europcea is found in Japan, and probably occurs in 

 China also, there is another species, C. Chinensis, -Lam., the 

 seeds of which I find to be extremely similar, so that it is 

 very likely they may pass under the same native name. I am 

 not aware what virtues are ascribed by the Chinese to this 

 drug. The entire plant (Herla Cuscutce majoris) was formerly 

 official in Europe as a purgative. 



Nelumbium 

 Speciosum. 



Water Lily. 



*|f -J^* Lien-tsze ; Nuts of Neluiribium speciosum, Willd. 

 (Nelumbiacece) ; Pun-tsaou, Fig. 703. 



These nuts, which in shape and size resemble small acorns, 

 are produced by the well-known Nelumbrium or Egyptian 

 Bean, called in China Water Lily, a plant extensively cultivated 

 both in that country and in India, as well for its ornamental 

 flowers as for its various useful properties. The nuts have a 

 farinaceous kernel, which, when boiled or roasted, is good to 

 eat. The thick fleshy rhizome is likewise edible when cooked ; 

 the starch which it contains, separated by rasping and washing, 

 constitutes a sort of arrowroot, called by the Chinese fOff to 



Wry "/ 



Gaou-fun. 



|? Ling ; Fruits of Trapa bicornis, L. (Haloragece) ; Pun- 

 tsaou, Fig. 704 



1 Journal Asiatique, Oct., Nov., 1852, p. 288. 





