Mr. RovLE on the Lycium of Dioscorides. 87 
and of Tournefort, “ Berberis cretica buxifolia” ; but does not refer to any of 
them under the articles “ Lycium” and * Rhamnus infectoria”. 
In the quotation made from Rees's Cyclopzedia, stating Dr. Sibthorp's opinion 
that Rhamnus infectorius is the Lycium of Dioscorides, the reasons not having 
been stated for the Doctor entertaining this opinion, I applied to Professor 
Lindley for some information on the subject, and he has kindly favoured me 
with the following extract from Dr. Sibthorp's manuscripts. 
“ 84. Awuor. Probably the Rhamnus oleoides*, which agrees very well with 
the description of Dioscorides. Frequent in the island of Milo and 
other parts of Greece. The wood of this tree is a valuable article of 
commerce, and is exported to England for the use of the dyers under 
the name of Fustick: the Greeks call the wood yeveo£v^or, from its dye- 
ing a golden or yellow colour. Dioscorides describes the manner in 
which the expressed juice was drawn from the roots, the stem and the 
fruit. Besides its medical uses, it was used by the Greeks for dyeing 
the hair yellow." 
In addition to this it may be added, as stated in Rees's Cyclopzedia, that the 
unripe berries are much used for dyeing, and are imported in great quantities 
into England under the name Turkey berries, or graine d' Avignon, being used 
for giving the yellow colours to Morocco leather. It is worthy of remark, also, 
that one species of Rhamnus is called R. lycioides, or Box-thorn Rhamnus, and 
that several species are possessed of medicinal powers, and others are used for 
their colouring properties, as Rhamnus catharticus, more generally known as 
a purgative, under the form of Syrup of Buckthorn: the juice of its unripe 
berries has the colour of saffron, and is used for staining paper. The inner 
bark and berries of R. Frangula are also purgative, and, according to their 
ripeness, are employed for dyeing yellow, green, or blue. 
It is not improbable, therefore, that if not infectorius, some other species of 
the genus Rhamnus may have been employed as Lycium, though we have no 
proof that that extract had ever been obtained from any of them, as related 
by Dioscorides; but the roots, stems and berries of R. infectorius possessing 
medicinal and colouring properties, and being common in the countries where 
one kind of Lycium is said to have been produced, and species of Rhamnus 
* infectorius (potiüs).—Note in Sir J. E. Smith's writing. 
