味苦、甘，平，无毒。主劳热邪气，五癃闭不通，利小便水道。止烦，下气，通膀胱满，
补
益精气。一名石 ，一名石皮。用之去黄毛，毛射人肺，令人咳，
不闻水及人声者良。二月
采叶，阴干。
滑石、杏仁、射干为之使，得菖蒲良。蔓延石上，生叶如皮，故名石苇。今处处有，以
不闻水声、人声者为佳。出
建平者，叶长大而浓。
〔谨案〕此物丛生石旁阴处，不蔓延生。生
疗淋亦好也。
味苦、甘，微温，无毒。主腰背强，关机缓急，周痹寒湿，膝痛，颇利老人。疗失溺不
节，男子脚弱腰痛，风邪淋
露，少气，目暗，坚脊，利俯仰，女子伤中，关节重。一名百枝，
一名强膂，一名扶盖，一名扶筋。生常山川谷。二月、八月采根，曝干。
萆 为之使，恶败酱。
今山野处处有，与菝 相似而小异。其茎叶小肥，其节疏，其茎大直，上有刺，叶圆有
赤脉。根凹凸 如羊角细强者是。
〔谨案〕此药，苗似贯众，根长多歧，状如狗脊骨，其肉作青绿色，今京下用者是。
陶所说，乃有刺萆 ，非狗脊也，今江左俗犹用之。
味苦、甘，平，无毒。主腰背痛强，骨节风寒湿周痹，恶疮不瘳，热气。伤中恚怒，阴
痿失溺，关节老血，老人五
缓。一名赤节。生真定山谷。二月、八月采根，曝干。
薏苡为之使，畏葵根、大黄、柴胡、牡蛎、前胡。今处处有，亦似菝 而小异，根大，
不甚有角节，色小浅。
〔谨案〕
此药有二种∶茎有刺者，根白实；无刺者，根虚软，内软者为
[Shiwei (Pyrrosiae Leaf)]
Bitter, sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Primarily treats labor-induced heat and pathogenic qi, the five types of strangury with obstruction (strangury refers to painful, difficult, and frequent urination), and promotes the flow of urine through the water passages. It stops irritability, directs rebellious qi downward, unblocks fullness in the bladder, and tonifies essence and qi. Also known as Shi Yao, also known as Shi Pi. When used, remove the yellow hairs; if the hairs penetrate into the lungs, they cause coughing. Those harvested where one cannot hear the sound of water or human voices are considered superior. Collect the leaves in the second lunar month and dry them in the shade. Talcum (Hua Shi), Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren), and Belamcanda Rhizome (She Gan) serve as its guiding drugs; it works well when combined with Acorus Rhizome (Chang Pu). Shiwei spreads over rocks, with leaves resembling skin, hence its name. It is now found everywhere, but those from places where water and human sounds are not heard are preferred. Shiwei from Jianping has large, thick leaves.
[Note] This plant grows in clusters in shady spots beside rocks and does not spread. It is also good for treating strangury.
[Gouji (Cibotii Rhizoma)]
Bitter, sweet, slightly warm, non-toxic. Primarily treats stiffness in the waist and back, laxity and spasticity of joints, generalized bi-syndrome due to cold-dampness, knee pain, and is particularly beneficial for the elderly. It treats urinary incontinence and lack of control, weak legs and lower back pain in men, exposure to wind-cold-dampness, shortness of breath, dim vision, rigidity of the spine, facilitates flexion and extension, internal injury in women, and heaviness in the joints. Also known as Bai Zhi, also known as Qiang Lv, also known as Fu Gai, also known as Fu Jin. Grows in mountains and valleys. Collect the roots in the second and eighth lunar months and dry them in the sun. Dioscorea Hypoglauca Rhizome (Bi Xie) serves as its guiding drug; it is incompatible with Patrinia Root (Bai Jiang Cao). It is now found everywhere in mountains and wilds, similar to Smilax Rhizome (Ba Qian) but with slight differences. Its stems and leaves are small and fleshy, the nodes are sparse, the stem is large and straight with thorns on top, and the leaves are round with red veins. The root that is concave and convex like a sheep's horn and fine and strong is considered good.
[Note] This herb's seedling resembles Cyrtomium Rhizome (Guan Zhong); the root is long and branched, shaped like a dog's spinal process, with flesh that is bluish-green. This is what is currently used near the capital. What Tao Hongjing described was actually Thorny Dioscorea Rhizome (Ci Bi Xie), not Gouji, yet the custom in Jiangzuo still uses it.
[Bixie (Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma)]
Bitter, sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Primarily treats stiff and painful waist and back, generalized bi-syndrome of bone and joints due to wind-cold-dampness, malignant sores that do not heal, and hot qi. It addresses damage to the middle jiao causing anger, impotence and urinary incontinence, old blood stasis in joints, and the "five slacknesses" in the elderly. Also known as Chi Jie. Grows in the valleys of Zhending. Collect the roots in the second and eighth lunar months and dry them in the sun. Coix Seed (Yi Yi Ren) serves as its guiding drug; it is inhibited by Mallow Root (Kui Gen), Rhubarb (Da Huang), Bupleurum Root (Chai Hu), Oyster Shell (Mu Li), and Peucedani Radix (Qian Hu). It is now found everywhere, also similar to Smilax Rhizome (Ba Qian) but with slight differences; the root is larger, has fewer angular nodes, and is lighter in color.
[Note] There are two types of this herb: those with thorny stems have white, solid roots; those without thorns have hollow, soft roots, and the internally soft ones are...