NOTES ON CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 261 



This is a fleshy branching root, in size, shape, colour, and iseo-ea. 

 general appearance somewhat resembling gentian. It is internally 

 whitish, has a sweetish, aromatic taste, and an odour approaching 

 that of celery or angelica It is said to be brought from the 

 western provinces of China. 



In Japan according to Von Siebold, Aralia edulis is universally Aralla edulis. 

 cultivated in fields and gardens where it attains a height of 

 three or four feet, flowering in August and ripening its bluish- 

 black berries in November. It is valued chiefly on account of 

 its root, which is eaten like Scorzonera, but the young stalks 

 are likewise a delicious vegetable. 1 



-A- il& Jin-sting ; Eoot of Panax Ginseng, C. A. Meyer 

 (Araliacece) fide Horaninow ; Pun-tsaou, Fig. 90 ; Ginseng Eoot. Ginseng Root, 



The most esteemed variety of this famous drug is that obtained 

 from Corea, but good qualities are produced also in Mongolia, 

 Mantchouria, and other mountainous parts of the Chinese 

 empire. The American ginseng imported into China is the root 

 of Panax quinqut folium, L. ; it is much less esteemed than the 

 native drug. Ginseng is regarded by the Chinese as the most 

 potent of restoratives, and the finer qualities realize extravagant 

 prices. 2 Its medicinal value appears, however, to the European 

 practitioner entirely overrated, the root being simply mucila- 

 ginous, aromatic, and slightly bitter and saccharine. 3 



71 Jtt Shing-ma ; Rhizome of Thalictrum rubellum, S. et Shing-ma. 

 Z. (Eanunculacece); Szen-ma, Tatarinov, Cat. Med. Sinens., p. 53; 

 Pun-tsaou, Fig. 130 ; Sien mdo, Cleyer, Med. Simp., No. 90. 



It is said to be produced in the province of Shan-si. 

 -i-p >*. -*+ 

 ^T A $$ Mow-tsze-koo. The pseudo-bulbs of an orchideous 



1 2320 piculs imported annually into Ningpo, Bowra's Trade Report, 1869. 



2 See the interesting account of a ginseng merchant contained in 

 Mr. Lockhart's Medical Missionary in China, ed. 2, p. 107. Also consult 

 Notice sur le Ginseng par. S. Kaczynski in the Bull, de la Soc. Imp. des Nat. 

 de Moscou, 1865, No. 1. pp. 7076, avec une planche. There is an abstract 

 in the Bull, de la Soc. Bot. de France, tome xiv. (1867) p. 56 (seems chiefly 

 micro-chemical). 



3 American, Corean and Japan Ginseng, the quantity of each imported 

 into Foochow in 1864, 5, 6, 7 and 8. See Reports on Trade at the Treaty 

 ports of China for 1868, p. 63. 



