ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IV. x. 2-4 



of Egypt, in Thesprotia, and in other lakes). When 

 it grows under water, it is smaller. 1 Such is the 

 goat-willow. 



The water-lily 2 is in shape like the poppy. 3 For 

 the top of it has this character, being shaped like 

 the pomegranate flower, 4 but it is longer in propor- 

 tion to the size of the plant. Its size in fact as a 

 whole is that of an apple ; but it is not bare, having 

 round it white membranes, 5 and attached to these 

 on the outside are grass-green 'leaves,' 5 like those 

 of roses when they are still in bud, and of these 

 there are four ; when it is opened it shews its seeds, 

 which are red ; in shape however they are not like 

 pomegranate 7 seeds, but round small and not 

 much longer than millet seeds ; the taste is insipid, 

 like that of wheat-grains. It ripens in summer and 

 has a long stalk. The flower is like a rose-bud, 

 but larger, almost twice as large. Now this and the 

 leaf float on the water ; but later, when the bloom is 

 over and the fruit-case 8 has formed, they say that it 

 sinks deeper into the water, and finally reaches the 

 bottom and sheds its fruit. 



Of the plants of the lake they say that water-lily 

 sedge and phleos bear fruit, and that that of the 

 sedge is black, and in size like that of the water-lily. 

 The fruit of phleos is what is called the ' plume,' 1J 



6 i.e. sepals. 



7 ptais conj. Bod. from Nic. Ther. 887 and Schol. ; pifris 

 UMVAldH. 



8 irepiKapiriov conj. W. ; KaraicdpirLov MSS. Kara- probably 

 due to K.a.'ra.KKlvtffQa.i. 



9 cf. Diosc. 3. 118. ai>6ri\rii>, SC. Kapirliv ~li>at. But Sell, 

 suggests that further description of the fruit has dropped 

 out, and that the clause $ . . . Kovtas does not refer to the 

 fruit. 



3 6 3 



