ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IV. xi. 10-12 



another that is of open growth, with few joints ; 

 there is the hollow reed called by some the 'tube- 

 reed,' 1 inasmuch as it has hardly any wood or 

 flesh ; there is another which is solid and almost 

 entirely filled with substance ; there is another which 

 is short, and another which is of strong growth tall 

 and stout ; there is one which is slender and has 

 many leaves, another which has few leaves or only 

 one. And in general there are many differences in 

 natural character and in usefulness, each kind being 

 useful for some particular purpose. 



Some distinguish the various kinds by different 

 names ; commonest perhaps is the pole-reed, which is 

 said to be of very bushy habit, and to grow chiefly 

 by rivers and lakes. And it is said that there is a 

 wide difference in reeds in general between those 

 that grow on dry land and those that grow in the 

 water. Quite distinct again is the ' archer's ' reed, 

 which some call the ' Cretan ' : this has few joints 

 and is fleshier than any of the others ; it can also be 

 most freely bent, and in general, when warmed, may 

 be turned about as one pleases. 



The various kinds have also, as was said, great 

 differences in the leaves, not only in number and 

 size, but also in colour. That called the ' Laconian ' 

 reed is parti-coloured. They also differ in the 

 position and attachment of the leaves ; some have 

 most of their leaves low down, and the reed itself 

 grows out of a sort of a bush. Indeed some say that 

 this may be taken as the distinctive character of 

 those which grow in lakes, namely, that these 

 have many leaves, and that their foliage in a manner 



1 ffvpiyyiav con]. Sch. from Plin. I.e., syringiam; cf. Diosc. 

 I.e., Geop. 2. 6. 23. ffvpiyt U; avpiyyi MV; trvpiyya, Ald.H. 



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