Chap. 17.] HT0SCYAM08. 91 



giiish two varieties of this plant — the one with a smooth leaf, 

 the other of a more delicate form. 



CHAP. 15. THE HERACLEON SIDERION : FOUR REMEDIES. 



The heracleon siderion^ is also another discovery of Her- 

 cules. The stem is thin, about four fingers in length, the 

 flower red, and the leaves like those of coriander. It is found 

 growing in the vicinity of lakes and rivers, and is extremely 

 efficacious for the cure of all wounds made by iron.^^ 



CHAP. 16. THE AMPELOS CHIKONIA : ONE REMEDY, 



The ampelos Chironia''^ also, which we have already^ men- 

 tioned when speaking of the vines, is a discovery due to 

 Chiron. We have spoken too, on a previous occasion, *^^ of a 

 plant, the discovery of which is attributed to Minerva. 



CHAP. 17. — UTOSCTAMOS, ENOWN ALSO AS THE APOLLINARIS OR 

 ALTEKCUM ; FIVE VARIETIES OF IT : THRKE REMEDIES. 



To Hercules also is attributed the discovery of the plant 

 known as the "apoUinaris," and, among the Arabians, as the 

 "altercum" or " altercangenum :" by the Greeks it is called 

 *' hyoscyamos."^*^ There are several varieties of it; one of 

 them,"^ with a black seed, flowers bordering on purple, and a 

 prickly stem, growing in Galatia. The common kind"- again, 

 is whiter, more shrublike, and taller than the poppy. The 

 seed of a third variety is similar to that of irio'^ in appearance ; 

 but they have, all of them, the eflect of producing vertigo and 

 insanity. A fourth'* kind again is soft, lanuginous, and more 

 unctuous than the others ; the seed of it is white, and it grows 

 in maritime localities. It is this kind that medical men 



^^ Hardouin identifies it with the Geranium Eobertianum of Linnaeus; 

 Sprengel and Desfoutaines Avith the Phellandrium mutelhna of Linnteus; 

 Coluraua with the Sanicula ; Sibthorpe with the Sorofularia hicida ; and 

 M. Fraiis with the Scrofula chrysanthemifolia of Linnreiis. Fee expresses 

 himself unable to speak with any certainty on the subject. 



^^ Whence its name " sidereon." ^"^ Or " Cliironian vine." 



68 In B. xxiii. c. 17. ^^ In B. xxii. c. 20. 



'o *' Swine's bean " — our henbane. 



'1 The Hyoscyamus reticulatus of Linnaeus, reticulated henbane. 



'- The Hyoscyamus niger of Linnieus, black henbane. 



'^ See B. xviii. c. 22, and B. xxii. c. 75. The Hyoscyamus aureus of 

 Linnaus, golden henbane. 



"* The Hyoscyamus aibus of Linnaeus, white henbane. 



