THE TRAGACANTH PLANT 



The ancient " calthrops " or " crawtaes "" (first used by the 

 Romans) were designed from the spines of the last-named 

 plant ^ (cake, heel, and trappa, snare.) It had four iron 

 spines, so that, however it was thrown down on the groimd 

 or in a ford, a spine was sure to stick up and to lame man or 

 horse. 



1. Old Roman Calthrops, left on roads, fords, etc., to lame horses. 



2, 3. Fruits of Tribulus, showing efficient spines. Animals' feet, in passing, 



must catch them. They are more efficient than Calthrops. 



The Tragacanth plant has also very neat spines. They are 

 the persistent spiny stalks or midribs of the older leaves 

 from which the leaflets have dropped away. The fresh green 

 leaflets are quite protected inside these withered spines. 



Several grasses have leaves which end in sharp or needle- 

 like points. One of these, Festiica alpestris, actually pro- 

 duces bleeding at the nostrils of grazing cattle, and is 

 detested by all the shepherds of the Alps. 



The Holly is one of our most beautiful trees, as 

 John Evelyn points out : " This vulgar but incomparable 



1 Ridley l.c, 

 185 



