ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IV. ix. 1-3 



as the Strymon. (In rivers of such a depth grow 

 ;ilso reeds and other plants.) No part of it projects 

 from the water except just the leaves ; these float as 

 it were and conceal the ' chestnut/ which is itself 

 under water and bends down towards the bottom. 

 The leaf is broad, like that of the elm, and has a 

 very long stalk. The stem is thickest at the top, 

 whence spring the leaves and the fruit ; below it gets 

 thinner down to the root. It has springing from it 

 hair-like growths, most of which are parallel to each 

 other, but some are irregular; below, starting from 

 the root, they are large, but, as one gets higher up 

 the plant, they become smaller, so that those at the 

 top are quite small and there is a great contrast 

 between the root and the top where the fruit grows. 

 The plant also has on the same stalk several side- 

 growths ; of these there are three or four, and the 

 largest is always that which is nearer to the root, 

 the next largest is the one next above it, and so on 

 in proportion : this sidegrowth is like another stalk, 

 but slenderer than the original one, though like that 

 it has leaves and fruit. The fruit is black and 

 extremely hard. The size and character of the root 

 are matter for further enquiry. Such is the character 

 of this plant. It grows from the fruit which falls, 

 and begins to grow in spring. Some say that it is 

 annual, others that the root persists for a time, and 

 that from it grows the new stalk. This then is 

 matter for enquiry. However quite peculiar to this 

 plant is the hair-like character of the growths which 

 spring from the stalk ; for these are neither leaves 

 nor stalk ; though reeds and other things have also 



sidegrowths. 



359 



