364 Sino-Iranica 



by Theophrastus: 1 it is produced in Syria from a plant called irkva^ 

 ("all-heal"); it is only the juice (6tt6s) which is called xo^fio-v-q, and 

 which "was used in cases of miscarriage as well as for sprains and 

 such-like troubles, also for the ears, and to strengthen the voice. The 

 root was used in childbirth, and for flatulence in beasts of burden, 

 further in making the iris-perfume (Iplvov fxvpov) because of its fra- 

 grance; but the seed is stronger than the root. It grows in Syria, and 

 is cut at the time of wheat-harvest." 2 



Pliny says that galbanum grows on the mountain Amanus in Syria 

 as the exudation from a kind of ferula of the same name as the resin, 

 sometimes known as stagonitis? Its medicinal employment is treated 

 by him in detail. 4 Dioscorides 5 explains it as the gum of a plant which 

 has the form of a ferula, growing in Syria, and called by some metopion. 

 Abu Mansur 6 discusses the drug under the Arabic name quinna and the 

 Persian name barzad. During the middle ages galbanum was well known 

 in Europe from the fourteenth century onward. 7 



The philological result is confirmed by the botanical evidence, 

 although Twan C'en-si's description, made from an oral report, not as 

 an eye-witness, is naturally somewhat deficient; but it allows us to 

 recognize the characteristics of a Ferula. It is perfectly correct that the 

 leaves resemble those of the asafcetida Ferula, as a glance at the ex- 

 cellent plates in the monograph of Borszczow (op. cit.) will convince 

 one. It is likewise correct that the leaves grow at the ends of the twigs, 

 and usually by threes. It is erroneous, however, that the tree does not 

 flower or bear fruit. 8 The process of collecting the sap is briefly but 

 well described. Nothing positive is known about the importation of gal- 

 banum into China, although W. Ainslie 9 stated in 1826 that it was 



1 Histor. plant., IX. 1, 2; IX. vn, 2; IX* IX, 2. The term occurs also in the 

 Greek papyri. V 



1 Cf. the new edition and translation of Theophrastus by A. Hort (Vol. II, 

 p. 261). I do not see how the term "balsam of Mecca" (ibid., p. 219), which is a 

 misnomer anyhow, can be employed in the translation of an ancient Greek 

 author. 



1 Dat et galbanum Syria in eodem Amano monte e ferula, quae eiusdem nominis, 

 resinae modo; stagonitim appellant (xn, 56, § 126). 



4 xxiv, 13. 



6 in, 87 (cf. Leclerc, Trait6 des simples, Vol. Ill, p. 115). 

 8 Achundow, Abu Mansur, p. 108. 



7 See, for instance, K. v. Megenberg, Buch der Natur (written in 1349-50), 

 ed. F. Pfeiffer, p. 367; Fluckiger and Hanbury, Pharmacographia, p. 321. 



8 The fruits are already mentioned by Theophrastus (Hist, plant., IX. ix, 2) 

 as remedies. 



9 Materia Indica, Vol. I, p. 143. 



