味苦、甘，平，无毒。主补中，安五脏，养精神，除百疾，久服肥健，轻身不老。生武
陵川谷。立冬采。
叶茂盛，凌冬不凋，皮青肉白，与秦皮为表里，其树以冬生而可爱，诸处时有。《仙经》
亦
服食之，俗方不复用，市人亦无识之者。
〔谨案〕女贞叶，似枸骨及冬青树等，其实九月熟
黑，似牛李子。陶云与秦皮为表里，误矣。然秦皮叶细冬枯，女真叶大冬茂，殊非类也。
味苦、甘，平，无毒。主腰痛，小儿背强，痈肿，安胎，充肌肤，坚发齿，长须眉。主
金创，去痹，女子崩中，内
伤不足，产后余疾，下乳汁。其实明目，轻身通神。一名寄屑，一名寓木，一名宛童，一名
葛，生弘农川谷桑树上。三
月三日采茎、叶、阴干。
桑上者，名桑上寄生耳。诗人云∶施于松上，方家亦有用杨上、枫上者，则各随其树名
之，形类犹是一般，但根津
所因处为异。法生树枝间，寄根在枝节之内，叶圆青赤，浓泽易折，旁
四月华白，五月实赤，大如
小豆。今处处皆有，以出彭城为胜。俗人呼皆为续断用之。案《本经》续断别在上品药，所
主疗不同，岂只是一物，市
人使混乱无复能甄识之者。服食方云是桑 ，与此说又为不同耳。
〔谨案〕寄生槲、榉柳、
水杨、枫等树上，子黄，大如
小枣子，唯虢州有桑上者。子汁甚粘，核大如小豆，叶无阴阳，如细柳叶而浓肌，茎粗短，
江南人相承用为续断，殊不
相关。且寄生实，九月始熟而黄，今称五月实赤，大如小豆，此是陶未见之。
【女贞实】
味道苦、甘，性平，无毒。主要功效为补益中气，安定五脏，滋养精神，消除各种疾病，长期服用可使身体丰满健壮，身形轻盈且延缓衰老。生长于武陵的河谷地带。立冬时节采集。
叶片茂盛，经历寒冬也不凋谢，树皮青色，肉质白色，与秦皮互为表里（指形态或属性上的对应关系），这棵树因在冬季依然生长而令人喜爱，各地时常可见。《仙经》中也记载有人服用它，但世俗医方不再使用，市场上的人也没有能识别它的。
〔谨案〕女贞的叶子，形状类似枸骨和冬青树等，其果实九月成熟变黑，形状像牛李子。陶弘景说它与秦皮互为表里，这是错误的。然而秦皮的叶子细小，冬天枯萎；女贞的叶子宽大，冬天依然茂盛，两者绝非同类。
【桑上寄生】
味道苦、甘，性平，无毒。主要治疗腰痛，小儿背部僵硬，痈肿，安胎，充盈肌肤，使头发牙齿坚固，促进胡须眉毛生长。主治金属创伤，去除痹症，女子崩漏（非经期大量出血），内伤导致的不足，产后余疾，以及下乳汁。其果实能明目，使身体轻盈并通神。又名寄屑，又名寓木，又名宛童，又名葛，生长在弘农河谷桑树上。三月三日采集茎和叶，阴干。
生长在桑树上的，称为桑上寄生。诗人说：“施于松上”，方家也有使用杨树上、枫树上的寄生，则分别根据其所寄生的树木名称来命名，外形类别大致相同，只是根部依附之处不同。通常生长在树枝间，根系隐藏在枝节内部，叶子圆形，呈青红色，浓润易折，旁边四月开花白色，五月果实红色，大小如小豆。现在各地都有，以出产自彭城的为优。俗人将其都当作续断使用。查考《本经》，续断另列在上品药中，所主治的疾病不同，难道只是同一种东西吗？市场上的人混淆不清，再也无法甄别识别了。服食方中说它是桑寄生，与此说法又有所不同。
〔谨案〕寄生生长在槲树、榉树、柳树、水杨、枫树等树上，子实黄色，大小如小枣子，只有虢州有生长在桑树上的。子汁非常粘稠，核大如小豆，叶子不分阴阳（指无特定阴阳属性或形态不分），像细柳叶但质地厚实，茎粗短，江南人相传承用它作为续断使用，这完全不相干。而且寄生的果实，九月才成熟且为黄色，现在称五月果实红色，大小如小豆，这是陶弘景未曾见过的。
[Euonymi Fructus (Nv Zhen Shi)]
Taste: bitter, sweet. Nature: neutral. Toxicity: non-toxic. Indications: primarily tonifies the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), calms the Five Viscera (Zang-Fu organs), nourishes the Spirit (Shen), eliminates various diseases. Long-term consumption leads to a robust and healthy physique, lightness of body, and anti-aging effects. Habitat: grows in valleys of Wuling. Harvest time: collected at Lidong (Start of Winter).
The leaves are lush and do not wither through winter; the bark is green and the inner wood is white, forming a exterior-interior relationship with Qianpi (Cortex Fraxini). The tree is cherished for its evergreen nature in winter and is found occasionally everywhere. It is also recorded in "Xian Jing" (Scriptures of Immortals) for ingestion, but secular prescriptions no longer use it, and market vendors cannot identify it.
[Commentary]: The leaves of Nv Zhen resemble those of Gou Gu (Ilex cornuta) and Dong Qing (Ilex chinensis). Its fruit ripens black in September and resembles Niu Li Zi (Prunus buergeriana). Tao Hongjing's statement that it forms an exterior-interior relationship with Qin Pi is erroneous. However, Qin Pi has fine leaves that wither in winter, whereas Nv Zhen has large leaves that remain lush in winter; they are certainly not of the same category.
[Mistletoe on Mulberry Tree (Sang Shang Ji Sheng)]
Taste: bitter, sweet. Nature: neutral. Toxicity: non-toxic. Indications: primarily treats lower back pain, stiffness of the back in children, carbuncles and sores, calms the fetus, enriches the skin and flesh, strengthens hair and teeth, promotes growth of beard and eyebrows. Treats metallic wounds, removes Bi syndrome (painful obstruction), metrorrhagia (profuse uterine bleeding) in women, deficiency due to internal injury, residual diseases after childbirth, and promotes lactation. Its fruit brightens the eyes, lightens the body, and enhances spiritual clarity. Aliases: Ji Xie, Yu Mu, Wan Tong, Ge. Habitat: grows on mulberry trees in the valleys of Hongnong. Harvest time: stems and leaves collected on the third day of the third lunar month, dried in shade.
Those growing on mulberry trees are called Sang Shang Ji Sheng. Poets mention "applied to pine trees"; medical practitioners also use mistletoe from poplar or maple trees, naming them according to the host tree. Their general appearance is similar, differing only in the site of root attachment. They typically grow among branches, with roots embedded within branch nodes. Leaves are round, greenish-red, thick, lustrous, and easily broken. Flowers are white in the fourth lunar month; fruits are red in the fifth lunar month, size like small beans. Now available everywhere, those from Pengcheng are considered superior. Laypeople mistakenly use it as Xu Duan (Radix Dipsaci). According to "Ben Jing" (Classic of Materia Medica), Xu Duan is listed separately in the Superior Category, with different indications. How can they be the same substance? Market confusion prevents accurate identification. Dietary therapy texts describe it as Sang Ji Sheng, which differs from this description.
[Commentary]: Mistletoe grows on oak, zelkova, willow, water willow, and maple trees. The seeds are yellow, size like small dates. Only Guo Zhou produces those growing on mulberry trees. The seed juice is very sticky; the core is size like a small bean. Leaves have no distinct yin-yang differentiation, resembling fine willow leaves but thicker; stems are thick and short. People in Jiangnan traditionally use it as Xu Duan, which is completely unrelated. Furthermore, Mistletoe fruits ripen in September and are yellow. The claim that fruits are red in May and size like small beans refers to something Tao Hongjing had not seen.