Li Shih-chen in his Ming dynasty botany volume, the "Pen Ts'ao Kang Mu" described the leaves as being separated from each other on branch-like shoots called "chi."
昔日每到採菱時節，少女均精心妝扮，結伴乘船採菱，口中還輕哼著採菱歌謠，惹得過路男子或停車、或下馬，爭相問道：「窈窕誰家女，採菱在橫塘？… …」多情的採菱女就這麼「採菱復採菱，採採日已暮，貪看馬上郎，迷卻花間渡。」