ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, III. xv. 6-xvi. i 



1 The kraiaigos is a very common tree ; some call it 

 krataigon. It has a smooth 2 leaf like that of the 

 medlar, but longer, and its breadth is greater than 

 its length, while the edge is not jagged like that 3 

 of the medlar. The tree does not grow very tall or 

 thick; its wood is mottled strong and brown 4 ; it 

 has a smooth bark like that of the medlar ; it has 

 generally a single root, which runs deep. The fruit 

 is round and as large as that of the wild olive 5 ; as 

 it ripens it turns brown and black ; in taste and 

 flavour it is like that of the medlar ; wherefore this 

 might seem to be a sort of wild form of that tree. 6 

 There is only one form of it and it shews no 

 variation. 



Of certain other oaks, arbutus, aiidrachne, wig-tree. 



XVI. The kermes-oak" has a leaf like that of the 

 oak, but smaller and spinous, 8 while its bark is smoother 

 than that of the oak. The tree itself is large, like 

 the oak, if it has space and root-room ; the wood is 

 close and strong ; it roots fairly deep and it has many 

 roots. The fruit is like an acorn, but the kerines- 

 oak's acorn is small ; the new one overtakes that of 

 last year, for it ripens late. 9 Wherefore some say 

 that it bears twice. Besides the acorn it bears a kind 

 of scarlet berry 10 ; it also has oak-mistletoe n and 

 mistletoe ; so that sometimes it happens that it has 

 four fruits on it at once, two which are its own and 

 two others, namely those of the oak-mistletoe ll and 



6 K6rivos Athen. I.e.; /cctyi^oj UMVAld. 



6 /teo-TTiATj added from Athen. I.e. 



7 cf. 3. 7. 3. s cf. 3. 16. 1 2. 9 cf. 3. 4. 1, 4 and 6. 

 10 Plin. 16. 32 ; Simon, ap. Plut. Theseus 17. 



cf. C. P. 2. 17. 1. 



259 



