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Taraxacum (Pugongcao)
(Also known as Taraxacum officinale / Yellow-flowered Dandelion Herb) Bitter in taste, neutral in nature. Non-toxic. Also called Jiaonou Cao, commonly known as Boboding. Found everywhere along field edges and roadsides when spring arrives. Leaves resemble those of Lactuca virosa (Kuju) but have fine spines; flowers resemble copper coins and bloom at the stem tips. When the stem is broken (hollow inside like a scallion), white latex flows out continuously. After flowering, fluff rises with the wind. Seeds within the fluff germinate upon touching the ground. It grows in courtyards, dispersed by wind. Harvested preferably in April and May. Enters the Yangming and Taiyin meridians. Decocted juice mixed with Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (Jinyinhua), with pure wine added before administration. Exhibits remarkable efficacy in treating suppurative swellings and dissipating nodules; resolves food poisoning and disperses stagnant qi, often achieving miraculous results.

Gu Jing Cao from Qinzhou
Gu Jing Cao from Jiangning Prefecture
Acrid in taste, warm in nature. Non-toxic. Grows in rice paddies, harvested after March. Flowers are white, leaves are fine; round and small like stars, hence also named Daixing Cao. Treats pharyngeal obstruction and stops toothache caused by wind. Effective for various sores on the mouth and tongue, and corneal opacities in eyes. Can be decocted and taken orally, yielding immediate effects. Also fed to horses, donkeys, and mules to kill parasites in the throat. Enhances strength and agility, promotes hair growth and mane flourishing.

Hanliancao
(Also known as Ecliptae Herba / Licang) Sweet and sour in taste, neutral in nature. Non-toxic. Abundant in wetlands; seedlings resemble Inulae Radix (Xuanfu). Flowers are fine and white; fruits are round and locular-like. When branches or stems are broken, the exuded juice gradually turns black. Either decocted with wine for oral intake or prepared as an ointment for topical application. Dyes white hair black again; treats bloody dysentery and normalizes stool color. For sparse beard and eyebrows, encourages rapid and lush regrowth; for burns presenting with redness, stops bleeding immediately.

Jinxingcao
Bitter in taste, cold in nature. Non-toxic. Grows abundantly on damp, shady rocks; leaves are long and remain green through winter. The back surface has two rows of yellow spots resembling opposing golden stars, hence its name. Harvested in May, dried naturally for medicinal use. Resolves toxicity and reduces swelling, specializing in surgical conditions. Effective for all initial malignant sores and un-ulcerated yang toxins. Treats scrofula along the neck and carbuncles on the back. Crushed and boiled in wine for frequent swallowing, or powdered and mixed with water for immediate ingestion. Alternatively, decocted juice used for washing, or pounded pulp applied topically. All methods yield prompt results. Resolves all toxins from mineral pills (Danshi) and expels sulfur toxicity. Roots crushed and soaked in sesame oil, applied to the scalp to promote abundant hair growth.