ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IV. VH. 3-5 



like sea-weeds, but that when they are taken out and 

 put in the sun, they shortly become like salt. They 

 also say that rushes of stone grow close to the sea, 

 which none could distinguish at sight from real 

 rushes. They also report a more marvellous thing 

 than this ; they say that there are certain tree-like 

 growths which in colour resemble an ox-horn, but 

 whose branches are rough, and red at the tip ; these 

 break if they are doubled up, and some of them, if 

 they are cast on a fire, become red-hot like iron, 

 but recover when they cool and assume their original 

 colour. 



1 On the islands which get covered by the tide they 

 say that great trees 2 grow, as big as planes or the 

 tallest poplars, and that it came to pass that, when 

 the tide 3 came up, while the other things were 

 entirely buried, the branches of the biggest trees 

 projected and they fastened the stern cables to them, 

 and then, when the tide ebbed again, fastened them 

 to the roots. And that the tree has a leaf like that 

 of the bay, and a flower like gilliflowers in colour and 

 smell, and a fruit the size of that of the olive, which 

 is also very fragrant. And that it does not shed its 

 leaves, and that the flower and the fruit form to- 

 gether in autumn and are shed in spring. 



4 Also they say there are plants which actually 

 grow in the sea, which are evergreen and have a fruit 

 like lupins. 



5 In Persia in the Carmanian district, where the tide 

 is felt, there are trees 6 of fair size like the andrachne 

 in shape and in leaves ; and they bear much fruit like 



1 Plin. 13. 141. 



2 Mangroves. See Index App. (12). 



3 cf. Arr. Anab. 6. 22. 6. 



1 Plin. Lc. Index App. (13). 6 Plin. 12. 37. 



6 White mangroves. Index App. (14). <,A I 



