140 THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
copeia. Dr. Sibthorp asserts that it is now called ¢/Z«, and 
the roots are sent from Zante to Italy for medicine. 
112. A. rotunda.— Round-rooted Birth-wort. 
Agiororoyia argoyyian. Diosc. lib. iii. cap. 4. 
CYTINEA. 
113. Cytinus Hypocistis.—HRock-rose Cytinus. 
'"Yavuorigs.. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 191. — Hypocistis, Plin. lib. xxvi. 
cap. 8. The former author relates, glerus 6: rage ras giGug rod 
xíorou 7, Xeyoptvm bmoxicTiG 
Hypocistis, or, as it is called by some, Cytinus, grows on the 
roots of the Cistus; and the latter says nearly the same 
thing, —** Hypocistis— nascitur sub cisto, undé nomen." This 
curious plant escaped my notice; but it is common in the 
Island (according to Dr. Presi,) growing parasitically upon 
the roots of the several kinds of Cistus, as its ancient name 
implies. 
im vaw Ob xiros xaXowutyp, the 
EUPHORBIACE./. 
114. Ricinus communis.—Castor Oil Tree, or Palma 
Christi.— Bot. Mag. vol. xlviii. t. 2209. 
Kix 7 xgérav, Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 164. — Koórev. Theoph. lib. 
i.cap. 16. Dioscorides says it was called zero» because the seed 
resembles the animal ( Tich),—avipaoras zgóruv dic yy argos rò Lov 
iugtpuuy vov omiguaros. Its leaves are like those of the Plane- 
Tree, (i. e., folia palmata, lobis lanceolatis), but they are larger 
and smoother,— giaa 06 óuom cXarávw, udo Ò? nol PETER 
The Castor-oil is obtained by pounding the seeds ; though; 
according to Dioscorides, the oil was formerly not used in 
medicine, but for lamps and plasters, —«£ có (xagzov) &aoD Bero 
và Aeyéucvov Kinswov thasov, Gpuvoy mén, GA«og Òe weroiuo) fig AVXOVE 
xa) iumddorgovg.—See also Herod. Euterpe, cap. 94, and Strabo 
Geogr. lib. 17. For the manner of making this famous oil, 
confer Diosc. lib. i. cap. 38. The seeds were given as a pur- 
gative. Bochart and others consider the Gourd mentioned 
in Jonah, chap. iv. v. 6. to be this plant: the Hebrew word i$ 
