132 THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
poisonous plant, as he calls it wadding xa! xagwrinde, deleterious 
and soporiferous. 
88. H. albus.— White Henbane.—77. Gree. vol. iii. tab. 
230. Perhaps the third species of bosxiæuos of Dioscorides, 
having white flowers, d «x5 i», and according to Dr. 
Sibthorp it still retains its ancient name in Greece. 
Most common on waste ground. 
89. Atropa Mandragora.—Mandrake.— 7. Grec. vol. iii. 
tab. 232. 
Mavdgayéeuc.— Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 16, and lib. vi. cap. 16: 
also of Theoph. lib. ix. cap. 10. Mavdgayouga hodié, et yogyoyón 
quandoque apud Atticos. Sibth. Dioscorides relates that it 
was also called Kzal, Circa, because its root was used as a 
philter, or love potion, izu9 ozer $ gia QíXrgus des momriM. 
And Theophrastus says that the root was of use sic Urvoy xal 
piña. For the same purpose Mandrakes are mentioned in 
the book of Genesis, chap. xxx. v. 14—16. This plant even 
now possesses somewhat of its most ancient right in modern 
Greece; — Radicis frustula in sacculis gesta, pro amuleto, 
amatorio hodiè, apud juvenes Atticos in ust sunt. (77. Gree. 
p. 27.) And Maundrell states (p. 61.) that the **women of 
Samaria are wont to apply it at this day out of an opinion of 
its prolific virtue.” The Mandrake was properly called by 
Pythagoras dvlewréuoggos, from its root resembling the form of 
aman. See the figure in the Flora Greca. 
It is named in Sicily, La Mandragola. 
90. Physalis somnifera.—Clustered Winter-Cherry.—FU. 
Grac. vol. iii. t. 233. 
Erevyvov Vewarixiw, Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 13. — 3rgbyvoc basin 
"Theoph. lib. ix. cap. 12. According to Dioscorides the bark 
of the root taken in wine has a soporific virtue, which is 
milder than opium. Hence Theocritus says the voice of 
Bombyce was mild or soft, & guvd ð robyve. — Idyl. x. v. 9. 
Frequent in woods and hedges; the following species is 
more rare, 
91. P. Alkekengi. — Common winter-Cherry.— 77. Gree 
vol. iii. t. 9934. 
