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SHECHUANGZI (Cnidii Fructus), grows in the valleys and fields of Linzi. It is now found everywhere, but those from Yangzhou and Xiangzhou are superior. In March, seedlings emerge, three or two chi high; the leaves are green and finely divided, growing in clumps resembling Artemisia branches; each branch bears over a hundred flower heads, forming a single cluster, similar to Apium graveolens var. segetum; in April and May, white flowers bloom, resembling San Shui (a plant); the seeds are yellowish-brown, like Setaria italica grains, very light and hollow. The fruits are harvested in May and dried in the shade. *Erya* calls it Xu, also known as Huichuang.

LOULU (Rhizoma Echinopsidis), grows in the valleys of Qiao Mountain. It is now found in the prefectures east of the Yellow River, as well as in Qinzhou and Haizhou. Old texts state that its stems and leaves resemble Bai Hao (Artemisia lavandulaefolia), with pods; the yellow flowers grow at the tip of the pods; the stem is as thick as a chopstick; its seeds form capsules, similar to Sesamum indicum capsules but smaller, turning black after July and August, distinct from other herbs. Among the illustrations submitted by various prefectures today, only those from Danzhou are somewhat similar. Those from Yizhou have flowers and leaves quite resembling Paeonia suffruticosa. Those from Qinzhou have flowers resembling single-petal Chrysanthemum indicum, purple, with five to seven flowers on one stalk; those from Haizhou have purple-green flowers resembling single-petal lotus, with white down wrapping the calyx base and root vicinity. The root is black, thinner than Brassica rapa, and resembles Allium fistulosum base; people in Huaidian call it Laowenghua. Although the flowers produced in these three prefectures differ, the leaves are quite similar, except that those from Qinzhou and Haizhou have serrated leaf margins. Such diversity within one substance poses a dilemma for physicians regarding which to adopt. One should follow the old theory, considering the Danzhou origin as superior. Stems and leaves are harvested in June and July and sun-dried. Roots are harvested in August and dried in the shade. The south uses the aerial parts, while the north mostly uses the roots. Below this entry, there is an item on Feilian: Grows in the rivers and marshes of Henei, also named Loulu. It resembles Kufu (pronounced Wu-lao-qie), differing mainly in that the leaves attach closely to the stem, with skin protruding like arrow feathers, and are deeply incised; flowers are purple, growing in flat wetlands. Another variety grows on hillsides; its leaves are somewhat similar but lack deep incisions and are more hairy; the stem lacks feather-like structures; the root grows straight down with lateral branches; the flesh is white and skin black, with black veins inside; when sun-dried, it turns black like Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen). The *Classic of Materia Medica* states: Harvest flowers in July and August, dry in the shade. Su Gong stated: Using stems and leaves to treat gan erosion and kill parasites has proven effective; based on this description, it is quite similar to the Loulu described from Qinzhou and Haizhou in terms of flowers, leaves, and roots, yet locals there simply call it Loulu. Currently, physicians rarely use Feilian; since it cannot be definitively identified, no further distinction is made, and its description is appended below.