230 PLINY'S NATTTBAL HISTORY. [Book XXVII. 



" ascyroides" 71 has larger branches, ferulaceous, red all over, 

 and bearing small yellow heads. The seed, enclosed in small 

 calyces, is diminutive, black, and resinous. The tops of the 

 branches, when bruised, stain like blood; for which reason 

 some persons have given it the name of " androsaemon." r2 The 

 seed is used for the cure of sciatica, being taken in doses of 

 two drachmae, in one sextarius of hydromel. It relaxes the 

 bowels, and carries off bile : it is applied also to burns. 



CHAP. 21. THE APHACA: THREE REMEDIES. 



The aphaca 73 has remarkably diminutive leaves, and is 

 but little taller than the lentil. The pods are of a larger 

 size, and enclose some three or four seeds, of a darker colour, 

 moister, and more diminutive than those of the lentil : it grows 

 in cultivated fields. It is naturally more astringent than the 

 lentil, but in other respects is applied to much the same pur- 

 poses. The seed, used in a decoction, arrests fluxes of the 

 stomach arid bowels. 



CHAP. 22. ALCIBITJM I ONE REMEDY. 



I have not found it stated by authors what kind of plant 

 alcibium 74 is ; but the root, I find, and the leaves, are pounded 

 and employed, both externally and internally, for injuries in- 

 flicted by serpents. When the leaves are used, a handful of 

 them is bruised in three cyathi of undiluted wine : the root 

 is employed in the proportion of three drachmae to the same 

 quantity of wine. 



CHAP. 23. ALECTOROSLOPHOS OR CRISTA I TWO REMEDIES. 



Alectoroslophos, 75 or crista, 75 * as we call it, has numerous 



71 It is considered to be identical with the Ascyron. 



72 " Man's blood." See c. 10 of this Book. 



73 Different probably from the plant of a similar name mentioned in B. xxi. 

 cc. 52, 59. Fee identifies it with the Vetch, mentioned in B. xviii. c. 37. 

 Littre gives as its synonym the Vicia cracca of Linnaeus, the Tufted vetch, 

 and Desfontaines the Lathyrus aphaca, the Yellow vetchling, or bindweed. 



74 Fee considers it to be the same plant as the Anchusa or Archebion, 

 mentioned in B. xxii. c. 25. Desfontaines identifies the Alcibium with 

 the Echium rubrum of Linnaaus. Holland observes here that Pliny 

 " hath here forgotten himself/' 



75 " Cock's comb." The Rhinanthus crista galli of Linnaeus, Yellow 

 rattle, or cock's comb. " Crest " or " Comb." 



