136 THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
VERBENACEJE. 
109. Vitex Agnus Castus.— Common Chaste-tree. 
"Arvos 7| Abyos. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 196. “Aywg. Theoph. lib. i. 
cap. 92. Now named xawacirra ; in Cyprus Aywi& ; in Zante, 
vyu, on the authority of Dr. Sibthorp.—'* Cory remarks, 
that the Xbymo orspavor, (chaste garlands) of which the ancients 
speak, are still used by the Greeks. **It is reported,” says 
Gerarde, “that if such as journey or travel, do carry with 
them a branch or rod of Agnus Castus in their hand, it will 
keep them from merrygals and weariness!” Herbal, 1202. 
This passage alludes to the opinion noticed by Dioscorides: 
doxes 0: xad xwdrurigiov sivas i» óÜorrogíoug macareynmcrar, trig Di Doy 
duriig ragù wie xgérory—and Hasselquist observes that 
‘pilgrims make staffs of it." p. 130.—(See Walpole's Turkey, 
note 14. p. 239.) Dioscorides also mentions, that the plant 
was called čys, chaste, because women strewed the leaves of 
it on their beds to preserve their chastity during the festival 
of the ésepopózis. Refer likewise to Eustathius. K. 7. p. 768. 
Edit. Basil. and Pliny, Hist. Nat. lib. xxiv. cap. 9. 
It is frequent on the banks of rivers in Sicily, and often 
found with the Oleander. 
ACANTHACEJE. 
103. Acanthus mollis.— Soft Bear’s Breech. 
Perhaps this is the soft acanthus, iyzi; “Axcvbos, of Theocritus, 
Tiji. i. v. 55. 
104, A. Spinosus.— Thorny Bears Breech.— Bot. Mag. - 
vol. xliii. £. 1808. 
"Axaa Diosc. lib. ii. cap. 19. Sibth. In Zante it is now 
called jourga.— Sibth. It is probable, that one of the several 
species of xc» mentioned by Theophrastus, may be re- 
ferred to this plant. : 
This is more abundant in the Island, than the preceeding : 
kind. 
