Illustrated Examination of the Names and Realities of the Materia Medica original: 本草名實圖考, Běncǎo Míngshí Túkǎo; the OCR reading "末" is likely a transcription error for "考"

White Dragon Whiskers

White Dragon Whiskers original: 白龍鬚, Bái Lóng Xū grows in the mountains of Changsha a city in modern-day Hunan province. Its green stems are slender and long, with leaves that grow in opposite pairs and are spaced widely apart. The leaves resemble those of the Midnight Flower original: 子午花, zǐwǔhuā; likely Pentapetes phoenicea, yet they are pointed, thin, and narrow, lacking any serrated edges original: 鋸齒, jùchǐ; literally "saw-teeth".

Its long roots are shaped like a centipede, surrounded on all sides by dense, whisker-like fibers similar to those of Asarum 細辛 (xìxīn): also known as Chinese Wild Ginger, known for its fine, thread-like roots or Achyranthes 牛膝 (niúxī): literally "Ox-Knee," a plant whose roots are used to strengthen bones and joints.

Folk doctors 俚醫 (lǐyī): local or rural practitioners of traditional medicine use this plant to treat phlegm-qi 痰氣 (tánqì): a traditional diagnosis referring to respiratory or digestive congestion where "phlegm" obstructs the flow of vital energy (Qi).

According to the Song dynasty Illustrated Classic of the Materia Medica original: 圖經本草, Tújīng Běncǎo, compiled c. 1061 AD, the roots of the Cynanchum original: 白前, Báiqián are longer than those of Asarum. Currently, the vining variety of Cynanchum being used has a bitter taste and is not considered the genuine species; I suspect that it is actually this vining variety described here.