Illustrated Investigation of Plant Names and Realities: Table of Contents

Volume 4: Vegetables

Cucumber original: 胡瓜, húguā. Literally "Foreign Gourd." The name "Hu" (胡) historically referred to people or things coming from Central or Western Asia via the Silk Road.

Chinese Artichoke original: 草石蠶, cǎoshícán. Literally "Herb Stone Silkworm." This refers to Stachys sieboldii, known for its small, white, segmented tubers that resemble silkworms or grubs.

Yellow Cucumber Herb original: 黃瓜菜, huángguācài. Often refers to Youngia japonica (Oriental False Hawksbeard). Despite the name, it is a flowering herb rather than a true cucumber, though its young leaves are edible.

Zizhou Raw Gourd Vegetable original: 資州生瓜菜, zīzhōu shēngguācài. A regional variety or specific preparation of gourd originating from Zizhou (modern-day Zizhong County in Sichuan Province).

Spider-plant original: 白花菜, báihuācài. Literally "White Flower Vegetable." Known scientifically as Cleome gynandra, it is a common leafy green often pickled or used in folk medicine.