212 THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 
Sinus rouxsiz. Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 144.—3yirug. Theoph. 
lib. ii. cap. 18, where it is well described. Now called 
Xuízyjym in Laconia; but 2vAé8aro¢ in the island of Cyprus. 
Sibth. Theophrastus says the flower is white, sweet-scented, 
and coming forth in the spring,—déos 0 Xsuxov mai eveides Howdy. 
Hence *the fragrancy of the flowers is alluded to in the 
words of Aristophanes,—3wiraxog ia». (Nubes, 1006.)" Wal- 
pole. Euripides also has, Bacche, v. 107, 
Balers, Bobere yAoned 
Zuiar wu) axem. 
_ The berries of this Evergreen, when ripe, are of a beauti- 
ful red colour. This Smilaz, and a variety g. auriculata, are 
found creeping up hedges, trees, &c., in Sicily. 
PALM. 
147. Phoenix dactylifera.— Date Palm. 
. boing. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 149, and of Theoph. lib. ii. cap. 8. 
Palma, Pliny Zib. xiii. cap. 4. Now called Palma by the 
Sicilians. Mr. Dodwell (Vide Tour through Greece, vol. i. p. 
371,) confirms the statement of Theophrastus, that the Palm 
does not ripen its fruit in Greece, (See lib. ii. cap. 3.) The 
most ancient tree was in Delos, (lib. iv. cap. 14.) It is 
mentioned in Euripides, Hecuba, v. 457, seuréyovís poing; and 
p in Eurip. Iphig. in Taur. v. 1100, in the following 
ines,— 
Agre Aoyerav, 
"A ragà Kivbsov öoghov ixen 
Done Ò &Beoxiuay, 
And in Homer’s Hymn to Apollo, v. 115. ZElian, Var. Hist. 
lib. v. cap. 4. The impregnation of Palms was known to the 
ancients, and Theophrastus states the manner in which the 
male flower fertilizes the female fruit; it was called, wet. 
yostra Os vóyüs roy vpózow, bray àl và üben, dvrórsqóvrsg vi» orálny agi 
