Mr. RoYLE on the Lycium of DIoscoricIes. 87 



and of Tournefoit, " Berheris cretica buxi/olla" ; but does not refer to any of 

 them under tlie articles "Lycium" and " Rhamnus infectoria". 



In the quotation made from Rees's Cyclopaedia, stating Dr. Sibthorp's opinion 

 that Rhamnus infectorius is the Lycium of Dioscorides, the reasons not having 

 been stated for the Doctor entertaining this opinion, I applied to Professor 

 Lindley for some information on the subject, and he has kindly favoured me 

 with the following extract from Dr. Sibthorp's manuscripts. 



" 84. Xvxiov. Probably the Rhamnus oleoides*, which agrees very well with 

 the description of Dioscorides. Frequent in the island of Milo and 

 other parts of Greece. The wood of this tree is a valuable article of 

 commerce, and is exported to England for the use of the dyers under 

 the name of Fustick : the Greeks call the wood xsvao^vXov, from its dye- 

 ing a golden or yellow colour. Dioscorides describes the manner in 

 which the expressed juice was drawn from the roots, the stem and the 

 fruit. Besides its medical uses, it was used by the Greeks for dyeing 

 the hair yellow." 

 In addition to this it may be added, as stated in Rees's Cyclopaedia, that the 

 unripe berries are much used for dyeing, and are imported in great quantities 

 into England under the name Turkey berries, or graine d' Avignon, being used 

 for giving the yellow colours to Morocco leather. It is worthy of remark, also, 

 that one species of Rhamnus is called R. lycioides, or Box-thorn Rhamnus, and 

 that several species are possessed of medicinal powers, and others are used for 

 their colouring properties, as Rhamnus catharticus, more generally known as 

 a purgative, under the form of Syrup of Buckthorn : the juice of its unripe 

 berries has the colour of saffron, and is used for staining paper. The inner 

 bark and berries of R. Frangiila are also purgative, and, according to their 

 lipeness, are employed for dyeing yellow, green, or blue. 



It is not improbable, therefore, that if not infectorius, some other species of 

 the genus Rhamnus may have been employed as Lycium, though we have no 

 proof tiiat that extract had ever been obtained from any of them, as related 

 by Dioscorides ; but the roots, stems and berries of R. infectorius possessing 

 medicinal and colouring properties, and being common in the countries where 

 one kind of Lycium is said to have been produced, and species of Rhamnus 

 * infectorius (potiiis). — Note in Sir J. E. Smith's writing. 



