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both flower and leaf, which appears so commonly in Egyptian 
ornament, and was borrowed from them by the Island Greeks. 
The Acanthus, as figuring in architectural ornament, may 
be taken next in order: this, with the conventionalised 
honeysuckle, borrowed from Assyria, plays the most im- 
portant part of all in Greek decoration. 
The two species most common in the eastern Mediterranean 
area are the Acanthus Mollis and Acanthus Spinosissimus ; 
and it is from the leaves, stalks, bracts, and flowers of these 
plants that the commonest and most graceful ornamental 
patterns were evolved.* 
The next plant I have chosen is of quite a different character, 
and has quite another interest. It is the Silphiwm of Cyrene 
in North Africa, the laserpictum of the Romans. 
In Greek times this was one of the most valuable spices 
on the market. It was a Smyrnium of sorts, perhaps our own 
“ Alexanders,” of the Umbellate family. 
Theophrastus and Pliny have much to say about it, the 
different parts of the plant, the uses to which it was put, and 
how its properties were first discovered by the herdsmen, 
who noticed its effect upon the beasts which browsed upon it. 
Pliny says in his time it had not been seen in Africa for 
many years, as the publicani had ruthlessly exterminated it. 
He records that one stalk was sent as a present to the Emperor 
Nero ; though Julius Cesar once had produced more than 100 
lbs. of it, on a certain occasion, from the public treasury. 
Pliny quaintly adds that when a flock came across the young 
plants, a goat always sneezed, while a sheep fell asleep at once, 
and so its whereabouts could be discovered. 
Coins of Cyrene are stamped with the Silphium plant. It 
was a common practice among Greek cities to employ for 
their coin-types some well-known product of the country, as 
for example the Rose on the Rhodian coins, and the Tunny 
on those of Olbia. 
The next plant I take is Partheniuwm, of which Plutarch 
says that when Athens was besieged by Sulla, the defenders 
of the Acropolis were in such dire straits that among other 
things they were compelled to subsist on ‘‘ the Parthenium, 
which grows about the Acropolis.”’ 

* Several slides were here shown exhibiting the gradual evolution 
of the conventional Acunthus from the natural plant. 
