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Catalogue Number: 36990

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Plant Name 174.02 DIOSCOREACEAE Dioscorea sp Entry Book Number 34.1919
Artefact Name Vernacular Name
Iso Country Singapore TDWG Region Singapore
Parts Held Geography Description Singapore, Botanic Gardens
Uses Use: User: TDWG use
Storage Bottles, boxes etc Related Items
Donor Burkill IH Donor No
Donor Date Donor Notes
Collector Collector No
Collection Notes Collection Date
Exhibition Expedition
Number Components Publication
Notes: Label source: Material named Huai Shan Yao. From the characters of the starch-contents, it appears very probable that the sample is a species of Dioscorea (thin slices of the tuber) L.A.B. 31.7.19. Copy sent to Director 1st Aug 1919. (Letter 271, 1919; x, iii.p 52) Botanic Gardens Singapore, 12.06.1919. My Dear Prain, about five years ago I sent to Kew samples of the Chinese drug Shan Yao, but apparently they miscarried. I am now sending you some more. This is sold here as 'Huai Shan Yao' and is very often, mentioned in Chinese books. Shan Yao literally hill (or jungle) medicine is of two classes 'Huai shan yao' from Shensi, Chili, Honan & ? Hupeh and 'Chiu shan yao' from up the Yangtse. The first must be the more valued as it has the wider trade. I have a, correspondent at Foochow named Sceats who is trying to get at the origin, but you may care to interest someone also. You will remember that in the Kew Herbarium or the St. Petersburg Herbarium are specimens of Dioscorea fromthe region whence Huai shan ya, ocomes which we have not named. It is not impossible one or all of them give Shan yao. The dry loess region of Shensi and Honan from descriptions looks as if it could not support a tract in such water loving things as Dioscoreas. Signed I H Burkill.

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