ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, III. vm. 3-5 



attached to the cup, in the other in the flesh itself. 1 

 Wherefore, when the cups are taken off, we find a 

 cavity like the visceral cavities in animals. 2 



3 There are also differences in leaves trunk timber 

 and general appearance. Hemeris (gall-oak) is not 

 straight-growing nor smooth nor tall, for its growth 

 is very leafy 4 and twisted, with many side-branches, 

 so that it makes a low much-branched tree : its timber 

 is strong, but not so strong as that of the Valonia 

 oak, for that is the strongest and the least liable to 

 rot. This 5 kind too is not straight-growing, even less 

 so than the hemeris (gall-oak), but the trunk is very 

 thick, so that the whole appearance is stunted ; for 

 in growth this kind too is very leafy 4 and not erect. 

 The aigilops (Turkey oak) is the straightest growing 

 and also the tallest and smoothest, and its wood, cut 

 lengthways, is the strongest. It does not grow on 

 tilled land, or very rarely. 



The ' broad-leaved ' oak (scrub oak) 6 comes second 

 as to straightness of growth and length of timber to 

 be got from it, but for use in building it is the worst 

 next after the sea-bark oak, and it is even poor wood 

 for burning and making charcoal, as is also that of 

 the sea-bark oak, and next after this kind it is the 

 most worm-eaten. For the sea-bark oak has a thick 

 trunk, but it is generally spongy and hollow when 

 it is thick ; wherefore it is useless for building. 

 Moreover it rots very quickly, for the tree contains 

 much moisture ; and that is why it also becomes 

 hollow ; and some say that it is the only 7 oak which 

 has no heart. And some of the Aeolians say that 

 these are the only oaks which are struck by light- 



4 i.e. of bushy habit. 6 avrrj conj. Sch.; avr^i UAld. 



Plin. 16. 23 and 24. 7 rfvy conj. St.; p&m\v Ald.H. 



207 



