— 
THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 203 
OBSERVATIONS on some or THE CLASSICAL PLANTS 
or SICILY. 
By JOHN HOGG, Esg., M.A., F.L.S., M.R.G.S., F.C.P.S., &c. 
( Continued from p. 147 of the present Volume.) 
ULMACE&, 
126. Celtis australis.— European Nettle-Tree.—Lote-Tree. 
This I consider the true Lotus-tree of the Lotophagi. Awri 
Tb 05óoo. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 172, and Theoph. lib. iv. cap. 4. 
Sibthorp and Stackhouse are also of the same opinion. 
Dioscorides describes it as a great tree, bearing a fruit (a 
drupe) larger than that (a berry) of the Pepper-Tree, which 
is sweet, pleasant to eat, and good for the stomach ;—«iéyedec, 
xam) 0i Dever jue ovo, mentoews yruxh, Powornor, Eusduaryor. 
Theophrastus has given a good description of it; he calls 
the tree <duéyzbsc, of the size of a Pear-tree; and states that 
the leaves are serrated, ivroucds Zyousr, the fruit as large as a 
bean, xóxpc, placed like the berries of the Myrtle, changing 
colour in ripening, as a bunch of grapes, sweet, pleasant and 
wholesome, and the food of the Lotophagi ;—72vxic, 750s, xai 
Gowns, zal tri moog try xoay &yaléz.— Wine was also made of 
the berries: the wood of a dark colour, Au. There were 
several varieties of this Tree, which differed in their fruit; 
the best grew in Libya. The wood was used, among 
other purposes, for making pipes, or flutes, as. Hero- 
dotus mentions that the Lotophagi subsisted on the fruit of 
the Lote-Tree only, which is as large as the berry of the 
Mastich, and resembles in sweetness a Date.—Awropdéya viv 
XuPTi» woivov rol Auro rewyoreg Cwovor 6 Oe vod Auro) nage, Est 
Utyubog soo vs cis Xqíwut yAvxUrzra OR, roë Dolunos TO APT) 
^v * LJ ~ ~ e 2 y; — 
*eoosineroc,— Ylomüvra Of ix roù xacmoU rovrov of Awrepmyor xa oiov, 
Melp, cap. 1'17. 
