PLANTS CULTIVATED FOR THEIR STEMS OR LEAVES. 107 



crimson variety is only naturalized in England from 

 cultivation.^ I do not know to what degree this remark 

 of Bentham's as to the wild nature of the sole variety 

 of a yellow colour (var. Molinerii, Seringe) is confirmed 

 in all the countries where the species grows. It is 

 the only one indicated by Moris in Sardinia, and in 

 Dalmatia by Viviani,^ in the localities which appear 

 natural (in ^x^f^scuis collinis, in raontanis, in herhidis). 

 The authors of the Bon Jardinier^ affirm with Bentham 

 that Trifoliuni Molinerii is wild in the north of 

 France, that with crimson flowers being introduced from 

 the south ; and while they admit the absence of a good 

 specific distinction, they note that in cultivation the 

 variety Molinerii is of slower growth, often biennial 

 instead of annual. 



Alexandrine or Egyptian Clover — Trifolium Alexan- 

 drinnni, Linnaeus. 



This species is extensively cultivated in Egypt as 

 fodder. Its Arab name is hersym or herzun.^ There is 

 nothino^ to show that it has been lono- in use ; the name 

 does not occur in Hebrew and Armenian botanical works. 

 The species is not wild in Egypt, but it is certainl}^ 

 wild in Syria and Asia Minor.^ 



Ervilia — Ervmn Ervilia, Linnceus; Vicia Ervilia, 

 Willdenow. 



Bertoloni^ gives no less than ten common Italian 

 names — ervo, lero, zirlo, etc. This is an indication of an 

 ancient and general culture. Heldreich "^ says that the 

 modern Greeks cultivate the plant in abundance as fodder. 

 They caU it rohai, from the ancient Greek orohos, as ervo& 

 comes from the Latin ervum. The cultivation of the 

 species is mentioned by ancient Greek and Latin authors.^ 

 The Greeks made use of the seed ; for some has been 



^ Bentham, Handbook Brit ¥1., edit. 4, p. 117. 



2 Moris, Fl. Sard., i. p. 467 ; Viviani, Fl. Balmat., iii. p. 290- 



3 Bon Jardinier, 1880, p. 619. 



* Forskal, Fl. Egypt, p. 71 ; Delile, Plant Cult, en Egypt, p. 10 ; 

 Wilkinson, Manners and Customs of Ancient Egyptians, ii. p. 398. 



^ Boissier, FL Orient, ii. p. 127. ^ Bertoloni, Fl. It, vii. p. 500. 



' Nutzpjianzen Grieclxenlands, p. 71. 



8 See Lenz, Bot d. Alten, p. 727 ; Fraas, FL Class., p. 54. 



