出东洋舶上带来，叶如篦箕，生两旁，作细尖瓣，嗅之有清气，似梅花香。 按∶群芳
谱∶
铁树出海南，闽广多有之，其花状如铁丝灯笼，广张千瓣，瓣各一花。程扶摇花镜∶铁树叶
类石楠，质理细浓，干叶皆紫黑色，花紫白如瑞香，四瓣较少团，一开累月不凋，嗅之乃有
草气。海南人言∶此树黎州极多，有一二尺长者，叶密而花红，树俨类铁，其枝桠穿结，甚
有画意。入盆玩最佳。但人罕见，故称奇耳。横州驯象卫殷指挥贯家，有铁树，每遇丁卯年
开花，而出五台山者，定以六月十九日开花。杨万里诗注∶铁树叶似 而紫，干如密节菖蒲
。似此诸说，同一铁树。而开花与枝叶又不同如此。今洋中带来及世俗所用入药之铁树，叶
形如篦箕。据云∶其树须壅以铁屑乃盛，则番蕉叶也。以其食铁，故亦名铁树。其性亦平肝
，取其相制为用，亦颇验。谢肇浙五杂俎∶番蕉能辟火患。将枯时，以铁屑粪之，或以铁钉
钉其根，则复活。盖金能生水也。种盆中不甚长，一年才落下一叶，计长不能以寸，亦不甚
作花，三十年仅见两度花耳。花亦似芭蕉，而色黄不实。群芳谱∶凤尾蕉，一名番蕉。产于
铁山，如少萎，以铁烧红穿之，即活。平常以铁屑和泥壅之则茂，而生子分种易活。江西涂
州有之。花镜∶凤尾蕉，一名番蕉。产于铁山，江西福建皆有。叶长二三尺，每叶出细尖瓣
，如凤尾之状，色深青，冬亦不凋。如少萎黄，以铁烧红钉其本上，则依然生活。平常不浇
壅，以生铁屑和泥壅之自茂，且能生子分种易活。极能辟火患。人多盆种庭中，以为奇玩。
友人唐振声在东瓯见凤尾蕉，土人皆呼为铁树。则知今人所用及洋舶带来之叶，皆番蕉叶。
而非真正铁树叶也。濒湖于隰草部只列甘蕉 荷，而于虎头凤尾等蕉概不及焉，或当时未有
知其性者，今录之以补其缺。
平肝，统治一切肝气痛。
难产∶铁树叶三片，煎水一碗服之，即下。（指南）
从东洋（日本）的商船上运来，叶片形状像篦箕，生长在两旁，呈细小的尖瓣状，闻起来有清香，类似梅花的香气。
按语：《群芳谱》记载：铁树产于海南，福建、广东多地都有，它的花状如铁丝灯笼，花瓣展开多达千片，每一片花瓣各有一朵花。程扶摇《花镜》记载：铁树的叶子类似石楠，质地纹理细密浓厚，干枯的叶子都是紫黑色，花呈紫白色像瑞香，四片花瓣较少聚成团，一开就是几个月不凋谢，闻起来却有草气。海南人说：这种树在黎州非常多，有一二尺长的，叶子茂密而花红，树干俨然像铁一样，枝条交错连接，很有绘画意境。种在盆中观赏最佳。只是人们很少见到，所以称之为奇物。横州驯象卫殷指挥贯家，有一棵铁树，每逢丁卯年开花，而出自五台山的，必定在六月十九日开花。杨万里诗注说：铁树叶似……（原文此处有缺字或异体字，依上下文推测指某种常见植物）但颜色为紫，树干像节密的菖蒲。像这样的各种说法，都称为同一棵铁树。但开花和枝叶又如此不同。现在从海外运来以及世俗所用入药的铁树，叶形像篦箕。据称：这棵树必须用铁屑壅土才能茂盛，那就是番蕉叶。因为它“食铁”，所以也叫铁树。它的药性也能平肝，取其以制为用的道理，也很有效验。谢肇淛《五杂俎》记载：番蕉能辟除火灾隐患。将枯时，用铁屑施肥，或者用铁钉钉住根部，就能复活。这是因为金能生水。种在盆中不太长高，一年才落下一片叶子，计算长度不到一寸，也不太开花，三十年仅见过两次开花。花也像芭蕉，但颜色黄且不结实。《群芳谱》记载：凤尾蕉，一名番蕉。产于铁山，如果稍微枯萎，用烧红的铁穿透它，就能活。平常用铁屑和泥壅培它就茂盛，而且生子分株种植容易成活。江西涂州有这种植物。《花镜》记载：凤尾蕉，一名番蕉。产于铁山，江西福建都有。叶子长二三尺，每片叶子生出细小的尖瓣，像凤尾的形状，颜色深青，冬天也不凋谢。如果稍微萎黄，用烧红的铁钉在根部，就依然能生活。平常不浇水壅培，用生铁屑和泥壅培自然茂盛，且能生子分株种植容易成活。极能辟除火灾隐患。人们多盆栽在庭院中，作为奇异的玩赏之物。友人唐振声在东瓯看见凤尾蕉，当地人全都呼之为铁树。则知道今人所用及海外商船带来的叶子，都是番蕉叶，而不是真正的铁树叶。李时珍（濒湖）在隰草部只列出了甘蕉和荷蕉，而对于虎头凤尾等蕉类一概没有提及，或许是当时没有人知道它们的药性，现在记录下来以补充其缺失。
Brought from ships of the Eastern Seas (Japan), the leaves resemble a hair comb's base, growing on both sides, forming fine pointed segments. When smelled, it has a clear fragrance, similar to that of plum blossoms.
Note: *Qunfang Pu* records: The Iron Tree originates from Hainan and is abundant in Fujian and Guangdong. Its flowers resemble lanterns made of iron wires, with thousands of petals spread out, each petal containing one flower. Cheng Fuyao's *Hua Jing* records: The leaves of the Iron Tree are similar to those of Photinia (*Shinanthus*), with a dense and thick texture; dried leaves are all purple-black. The flowers are purple-white like Daphne odora (*Ruixiang*), with four petals rarely clustered together, blooming for months without fading, yet smelling of grass when sniffed. People in Hainan say: This tree is extremely common in Lizhou, some reaching one or two chi in length, with dense leaves and red flowers. The trunk resembles iron, and its branches intertwine intricately, possessing artistic beauty. It is best potted for viewing. However, as people rarely see it, it is called a curiosity. At the home of Yin Guanzhi, Commander of Xunxiang Guard in Hengzhou, there was an Iron Tree that bloomed every Dingmao year, whereas those from Mount Wutai definitely bloomed on the 19th day of the sixth lunar month. Yang Wanli's commentary on poetry states: The leaves of the Iron Tree resemble [missing character] but are purple, and the trunk is like densely jointed Acorus calamus (*Changpu*). Such various accounts refer to the same "Iron Tree," yet their flowering and foliage differ so greatly. The Iron Tree currently brought from overseas and used in secular medicine has leaves shaped like a hair comb's base. It is said that this tree must be fertilized with iron filings to thrive; thus, it is actually the leaf of the Banana Plant (*Fen Jiao*). Because it "eats iron," it is also named the Iron Tree. Its nature can soothe the Liver (*Gan*), utilizing the principle of mutual restraint, which is quite effective. Xie Zhaozhe's *Wuza Zu* records: The Banana Plant can ward off fire disasters. When withering, if fertilized with iron filings or if iron nails are driven into its roots, it revives. This is because Metal generates Water. When planted in pots, it does not grow tall, shedding only one leaf per year, with growth less than one cun, and rarely flowers. In thirty years, it may bloom only twice. The flowers resemble those of the banana plant but are yellow and do not produce fruit. *Qunfang Pu* records: Phoenix-tail Banana (*Fengwei Jiao*), also known as Fan Jiao, originates from Iron Mountain. If slightly withered, piercing it with a red-hot iron rod brings it back to life. Normally, mixing iron filings with mud to fertilize it promotes lush growth, and propagating by seeds or division is easy. It exists in Tuzhou, Jiangxi. *Hua Jing* records: Phoenix-tail Banana, also known as Fan Jiao, originates from Iron Mountain and is found in Jiangxi and Fujian. Leaves are two to three chi long, each producing fine pointed segments resembling a phoenix tail, deep green in color, remaining evergreen in winter. If slightly withered and yellowing, nailing a red-hot iron rod to the base restores vitality. Without regular watering and fertilizing, applying raw iron filings mixed with mud ensures lush growth, and propagation by seeds or division is easy. It is highly effective at warding off fire disasters. Many people pot them in courtyards as curiosities. My friend Tang Zhensheng saw Phoenix-tail Bananas in Dong'ou, where locals all called them Iron Trees. Thus, it is known that the leaves used today and brought by overseas ships are indeed Fan Jiao leaves, not true Iron Tree leaves. Li Shizhen (Binhu) listed only Sweet Banana (*Gan Jiao*) and Lotus Banana (*He*) in the section on low-lying herbs, omitting Tiger-head and Phoenix-tail bananas, perhaps because their properties were unknown at the time. I record them here to fill this gap.
Soothes the Liver (*Gan*), treating all types of Liver Qi pain.
Dystocia (Difficult Labor): Decoct three pieces of Iron Tree leaf in one bowl of water and ingest. The fetus will be delivered immediately. (From *Zhinan*)