Chap. 27.] ASAEUM, OE FOAL-FOOT. 121 



next highest esteem next to this; then the Gallic; 84 and in 

 the third place, that of Crete, 85 which by some persons is 

 called "agrion," and by others "phu." This last has exactly the 

 leaf of the olusatrum, 86 with a stalk a cubit in length, knotted, 

 of a whitish colour, inclining to purple, and a root that runs 

 sideways ; it is covered, too, with long hair, and strongly 

 resembles the foot of a bird. Field nard is known by the 

 name of baccar. 87 We shall have further occasion to mention 

 it when we come to speak of the flowers. All these kinds^ of 

 nard, however, are to be reckoned as herbs, with the exception 

 of Indian nard. Of these, the Gallic kind is pulled up along 

 with the root, and washed in wine ; after which it is dried in 

 the shade, and wrapped up in paper, in small parcels. It is 

 not very different from the Indian nard, but is lighter than 

 that of Syria ; the price at which it sells is three denarii per 

 pound. The only way of testing the leaves of all these 

 varieties of nard, is to see that they are not brittle and parched, 

 instead of being dried naturally and gradually. Together 

 with the nard that grows in Gaul, there always 88 springs up 

 a herb, which is known by the name of hirculus, or the 

 " little goat," on account of its offensive smell, it being very 

 similar to that of the goat. This herb, too, is very much, used 

 in the adulteration of nard, though it differs from it in the 

 fact that it has no stem, and its leaves are smaller ; the root, 

 too, is not bitter, and is entirely destitute of smell. 



CHAP. 27. (13.) ASAETJH, OE FOAL-FOOT. 



The herb asarum, 89 too, has the properties of nard, and, 

 indeed, by some persons is known as wild nard. It has a leaf, 



84 Generally supposed to be the Valeriana Celtica of modern naturalists. 

 See B. xxi. c. 79. 



85 Probably the Valeriana Italica of modern naturalists. 

 8 e See B. xix. c. 48. 



8 ' Known in this country as fox-glove, our Lady's gloves, sage of Jeru- 

 salem, or clown's spikenard. See B. xxi. c. 16. 



88 Not always, but very seldom, Brotier says. Clusius has established, 

 from observation, that this plant is only a variety of the Valeriana Celtica. 



*» Fee remarks, that the name " baccara," in Greek, properly belonged 

 to this plant, but that if was transferred by the Komans to the field nard, 

 with which the Asarum had become confounded. It is the same as the 

 Asarum Europaeum of modern naturalists ; but it does not, as Pliny asserts, 

 flower twice in the year. 



