144 THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
Pliny also remarks (lib. xii. cap. 1.), ** Quis non jure miretur 
arborem Umbra gratià tantum ex alieno petitam orbe? 
Platanus haec est per mare Ionium in Diomedis insulam 
ejusdem tumuli gratia primum invecta; indé in Siciliam 
transgressa, atque inter primas donata Italize Dionysius 
. prior Sicilia tyrannus, Rhegyum in urbem (hodié Reggio) 
transtulit eas, domus sue miraculum:—tantumque posted 
honoris increvit, ut mero infuso enutriantur. Compertum id 
maximé prodesse radicibus; docuimusque etiam arbores vina 
potare." I did not observe any very large Plane-Trees in 
Sicily; but in Greece, they arrive at an enormous size. 
Pliny mentions several, lib. xii. cap. 1. Dr. E. D. Clarke 
describes a marvellous one in the Island of Cos, and another 
in the straits of Thermopylæ ‘of unknown antiquity, self- 
sown in its orign, and one of many that may have flourished 
upon the spot ever since the Lacedzmonian soldiers were 
seen at the fountain combing their hair, and amusing them- 
selves with gymnastic exercises.” And see Dodwell’s Tour 
through Greece, vol. i. p. 121. 150, and vol. ii. p. 305. 
Dioscorides calls the round seed-vessels, rà Ipai. 
121. Castanea vesca.— Spanish Chestnut. 
Kedorava, ý Sagdsavas dAavo,, ý Afos BáXavui.— Diosc. lib, i. cap. 
146, and Aids BddAavws.—Theoph. lib. iii. cap. 3. In Sicily 
the chestnut grows to an enormous size. The famous Cas- 
tagnu di centu Cavalli, which is said to be the largest and 
most ancient tree in Europe, measures near the root 160 
feet in cireumference. The Sicilians assured me that it was 
one tree, although from appearance it resembles seven trees; 
the interior of the trunks is decayed. On Mount Etna there 
are three other large ones. The Castagnu di S. Agatha is 
10 feet in circuit, C. della Nave, 64 feet at the root; and 
C. della Navella 57 feet in circumference (Presi). Chestnuts 
afford the poorer class of people their principal food in some 
parts of the isle; bread, puddings, &c., are made of the 
flour. 
122. Quercus Ilex.— Evergreen Oak. Holm Oak. 
Probably the Agia, Theoph. lib. iii. cap. 16, which Stack- 
