Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms original: Sancai Tuhui (三才圖會), Volume 3, Herbs and Trees, Part 16

Page Ten

Duguan Grass

Duguan Grass original: Duguan Cao (都管草). The name literally translates to "Overseer Grass" or "Manager of All," a title often given in traditional herbals to plants believed to have a commanding or broad range of medicinal effects.

The woodblock illustration depicts a central stem with lanceolate (spear-shaped) leaves arranged in a slightly winding pattern, rising from a small mound of earth. This style of illustration was designed to help Ming Dynasty scholars and practitioners identify the plant in the wild.