（《别录》上品）
【释名】木粟（《纲目》）、光风草。
时珍曰∶苜蓿，郭璞作牧宿。谓其宿根自生，可饲牧牛马也。又罗愿《尔雅翼》作木粟
，言其米可炊饭也。葛洪《西京杂记》云∶乐游苑多苜蓿。风在其间，常萧萧然。日照其花
有光采。故名怀风，又名光风。茂陵人谓之连枝草。《金光明经》谓之塞鼻力迦。
【集解】弘景曰∶长安中乃有苜蓿园。北人甚重之。江南不甚食之，以无味故也。外国
复有苜蓿草，以疗目，非此类也。
诜曰∶彼处人采其根作土黄 也。
宗 曰∶陕西甚多，用饲牛马，嫩时人兼食之。有宿根，刈讫复生。
时珍曰∶《杂记》言∶苜蓿原出大宛，汉使张骞带归中国。然今处处田野有之，陕、陇
人亦有种者，年年自生。刈苗作蔬，一年可三刈。二月生苗，一科数十茎，茎颇似灰 。一
枝三叶，叶似决明叶，而小如指顶，绿色碧艳。入夏及秋，开细黄花。结小荚圆扁，旋转有
刺，数荚累累，老则黑色。内有米如 米，可为饭，亦可酿酒。罗愿以此为鹤顶草，误矣。
鹤顶，乃红心灰 也。
【气味】苦，平，涩，无毒。
宗 曰∶微甘、淡。诜曰∶凉。少食好。多食令冷气入筋中，即瘦人。
李鹏飞曰∶同蜜食，令人下利。
【主治】安中利人，可久食（《别录》）。
利五脏，轻身健人，洗去脾胃间邪热气，通小肠诸恶热毒，煮和酱食，亦可作羹（孟诜）。
利大小肠（宗 ）。干食益人（苏颂）。
根
【气味】寒，无毒。
【主治】热病烦满，目黄赤，小便黄，酒疸，捣取汁服一升，令人吐利即愈（苏恭）。
捣汁煎饮，治沙石淋痛（时珍）。
(Recorded as a Superior Grade in the *Shennong Bencao Jing*)
[Names] Musu (from *Bencao Gangmu*), Guangfeng Cao.
Li Shizhen stated: "Muxu, Guo Pu wrote as 'Muxiu'. It means its perennial roots grow naturally and can be used to feed cattle and horses. Additionally, Luo Yuan in *Erya Yi* wrote it as 'Musu', stating that its grain can be cooked into rice. Ge Hong in *Xijing Zaji* said: 'There are many Muxu in Leyou Garden. When the wind blows through them, they often make a rustling sound. Sunlight shining on their flowers gives off a luster. Hence named Huaifeng, also known as Guangfeng. People in Maoling call it Lianzhi Cao. The *Jin Guangming Jing* calls it Sabilijia.'"
[Collected Explanations] Tao Hongjing said: "In Chang'an, there are Muxu gardens. Northerners value it highly. People in Jiangnan do not eat it much because it lacks flavor. Foreign lands have another kind of Muxu grass, used to treat eyes, which is not this type."
Meng Shen said: "People there harvest its roots to make earth yellow pigment."
Su Song said: "It is very abundant in Shaanxi, used to feed cattle and horses. When tender, people also eat it. It has perennial roots; after cutting, it grows again."
Li Shizhen said: "*Zaji* records: 'Muxu originally came from Dayuan. Han envoy Zhang Qian brought it back to China.' However, it is now found everywhere in fields. People in Shaanxi and Longyou also plant it; it grows naturally every year. The seedlings are harvested as vegetables; one can harvest three times a year. In February, shoots emerge; one clump has dozens of stems, resembling Chenopodium album (Liguzi). Each branch has three leaves; the leaves resemble those of Cassia obtusifolia (Jueming), but are small as the tip of a finger, with a bright green color. From summer to autumn, it opens small yellow flowers. It bears small, round, flat pods that rotate and have thorns; numerous pods hang together, turning black when old. Inside are grains like millet, which can be made into rice or wine. Luo Yuan called this 'Heding Cao', which is incorrect. Heding refers to Chenopodium album with red hearts."
[Properties and Flavor] Bitter, neutral, astringent, non-toxic.
Su Song said: Slightly sweet, bland. Meng Shen said: Cool. Consuming a little is good. Consuming too much allows cold qi to enter the sinews, causing emaciation.
Li Pengfei said: Eating it with honey causes diarrhea.
[Indications] Calms the middle and benefits people; can be consumed for a long time (*Shennong Bencao Jing*).
Benefits the five zang organs, lightens the body and strengthens the person, washes away pathogenic heat in the spleen and stomach, unblocks various evil hot toxins in the small intestine. Boiled and mixed with sauce for eating, or can be made into soup (Meng Shen).
Unblocks the large and small intestines (Su Song). Dried consumption benefits the person (Su Song).
Roots
[Properties and Flavor] Cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Treats irritability and fullness caused by febrile diseases, yellow and red eyes, yellow urine, jaundice due to alcohol (Jiu Dan). Crush and extract juice, take one sheng, inducing vomiting and diarrhea leads to immediate cure (Su Gong).
Crush and extract juice, decoct and drink to treat lithiasis pain (Li Shizhen).