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[Fructus Meliae]
Taste: bitter. Nature: cold. Toxicity: slightly toxic. Indications: Treats warm pathogenic diseases; treats high fever, irritability, and mania caused by cold damage (Shanghan); kills three types of parasites; treats scabies and skin ulcers; promotes urination through the water passages. Root: Nature is slightly cold; treats ascariasis; promotes bowel movement. Habitat: Grows in the valleys of Mount Jing.
It grows everywhere. People on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month collect flowers and leaves to wear as amulets, claiming it wards off evil. Grinding the root with vinegar and applying it topically to scabies yields excellent results. Boiling the juice to make a porridge and eating it expels roundworms. (Source: *Xinxiu Bencao* p. 167, *Daguan Bencao* Vol. 14, *Zhenghe Bencao* p. 344)

[Willow Bark]
Taste: bitter. Nature: cold. Toxicity: non-toxic. Indications: Treats wind-water edema, jaundice, and facial heat with darkening. Treats crusted scabies, foul sores, and traumatic injuries from metal weapons. Also known as Liu Xu (Willow Catkin). Leaves: Treat equine scabies and crusted sores. Decoct and wash the affected horses for immediate cure. Also treats internal blood stasis in the heart and abdomen, and relieves pain. Fruits: Treats suppurating carbuncles, expelling pus and blood. Juice of seeds: Treats thirst. Habitat: Grows in the rivers and marshes of Langya.
Willow refers to the current Shuiyang (Water Poplar/Willow). Flowers mature and fly with the wind, resembling flying snow. When Chen Yuanzheng used it as a metaphor, he likely referred to its state before unfurling; seeds also fly with the flowers, corresponding to the method of soaking in water to extract juice. Willow flowers are also suitable for topical application on moxibustion sores; bark and leaves treat lacquer dermatitis. (Source: *Xinxiu Bencao* p. 168, *Daguan Bencao* Vol. 14)

[Paulownia Bark]
Taste: bitter. Nature: cold. Toxicity: non-toxic. Indications: Treats erosive sores affecting the genitalia. Bark: Treats five types of hemorrhoids, kills parasites. Treats Ben Tun Qi disease (a condition characterized by a sensation of gas rushing up from the lower abdomen to the chest/throat). Flowers: Applied to pig sores; feeding pigs with this causes them to gain three times their body weight. Habitat: Grows in the valleys of Tongbai Mountain.
There are four types of Paulownia trees: Qingtong (Green Paulownia), with green stem bark and leaves similar to Wutong but without fruits. Wutong (Chinese Parasol Tree), with white color, leaves similar to Qingtong but with fruits, which are large and edible. Baitong (White Paulownia) is indistinguishable from Gangtong except for having flowers and seeds. Flowers unfold in March, yellow-purple in color; *Li Ji* states "Paulownia flowers first." Gangtong has no seeds and is used for making qin and se instruments. The mention of flowers here likely refers to Baitong, which can also be used for instruments, also known as Yitong, commonly planted by households. (Source: *Xinxiu Bencao*)

[Catalpa Bark]
Taste: bitter. Nature: cold. Toxicity: non-toxic. Indications: Treats heat syndromes, expels parasites, treats eye disorders. Flowers and Leaves: Crushed and applied to pig sores; feeding pigs with this makes them fat, easy to raise, and increases body weight by three times. Habitat: Grows in the valleys of Henei.
This is the bark of the Catalpa tree. There are three types of Catalpa; one should use plain, unrotted material. It is no longer used in prescriptions. Leaves treat maceration of hands and feet due to dampness. Paulownia leaves and these [Catalpa leaves]... (Source: *Zhenghe Bencao* p. 351)