ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IV. iv. 11-13 



is also in its general appearance, 1 and the leaf is 

 broader than that of the one and narrower than that 

 of the other. So much for the Indian land. 



In the country called Aria there is a ' thorn ' 2 

 on which is found a gum resembling myrrh 3 in 

 appearance and smell, and this drops when the sun 

 shines on it. There are also many other plants 

 besides those of our land, both in the country and in 

 its rivers. In other parts there is a white ' thorn ' 4 

 which branches in three, of which they make batons 

 and sticks ; its wood is sappy and of loose texture, 

 and they call it the thorn 'of Herakles.' 



There is another shrub 5 as large as a cabbage, 

 whose leaf is like that of the bay in size and shape. 

 And if any animal should eat this, it is certain to die 

 of it. Wherefore, wherever there were horses, 6 they 

 kept them under control. 



In Gedrosia they say that there grows one tree 7 

 with a leaf like that of the bay, of which if the 

 beasts or anything else ate, they very shortly died 

 with the same convulsive symptoms as in epilepsy. 



And they say that another tree 8 there is a sort of 

 'thorn' (spurge), and that this has no leaf and grows 

 from a single root ; and on each of its branches it has 

 a very sharp spine, and if these are broken or bruised 

 a quantity of juice flows out, which blinds animals or 



3 fffjLvpvr) conj. Sch. from 9. 1. 2 ; Plin. I.e.; rfi l\\vpia Ald.H. 



4 See Index. 



5 Asafoetida ; see Index App. (10). Plin. 12. 33. 



* i.e. in Alexander's expedition. Probably a verb, such 

 as uia-ippalvovTo, has dropped out after fairoi (Sch.). Odore. 

 cquos invitans Plin. I.e. 



7 Nerium odorum ; see Index App. (11). cf. 4. 4. 13 ; Strabo 

 15. 2. 7; Plin. I.e. 



8 Plin. I.e.-, Arrian, Anab. 6. 22. 7. 



321 



