THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 141 
Kikajon. ‘* The Lord God prepared a Gourd (or Palm Crist), 
and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a sha- 
dow over his head, to deliver him from his grief." The very 
great quickness and luxuriance of growth remarkable in this 
species give a strong proof in identifying the two plants. 
The Palma Christi, although originally introduced from 
India, is cultivated and grows most luxuriantly in Sicily: 
and much oil, Oliu di Ricinu, is expressed from the seeds. 
115. Euphorbia dendroides.— Tree Spurge.—77. Grac. 
vol, v. tab. 470. 
Tidusciros devdgderdns. — Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 165. 
On the mountains near Palermo, Monte Pellegrino, &c. 
116. E. Chamssyce.— Ground-fig Spurge.—F7/. Grac. vol. 
v. tab, 461. 
Xaposban, 4 Xóxy. Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 170. 
Common in waste and uncultivated ground. 
117. E. Myrsinites.—Glaucous Spurge.— 77. Gree. vol. v. 
tab. 471. 
Tibywacros Aus, n Muerírne, 7 Kaguirze, 4 Mugowirnse Diosc. lib. 
dv. cap. 165.— Mugrírzs, 5 viluu&Xog Asuxòse Theoph. lib. ix. 
cap. 12. 
The seed or fruit was named xov. 
URTICEJE. 
118. Ficus Carica.— Common Fig-tree. 
xian, Diosc. lib.i. cap. 184, and Theoph. lib. i. cap. 8. &c. 
Now named Zvwoé in Laconia: the flowers of the wild fig, 
igno, are at this day used for the caprification of the culti- 
vated fig, in various parts of Greece. Sibth. The ancient 
word for this practice is eux&Z:», which is explaned by ra 
tera eU eye xal cepiagrév.—Vide I. Pollux, p. 143. The cus- 
tom is mentioned in Aristotle, 77. An. lib. v. c. 26. “At 
Athens,” says Mr. Hawkins, *they take the wild figs (ögvor) 
in June, when the insect shows itself in them, string a few 
and suspend them on the branches of the domestic fig-tree, 
without which, it is believed, all the fruit would drop. They 
