ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VI. 11. 6-8 



Arcturus and is full grown 1 after his setting. 

 The smell of the ' male ' plant is strong, but that of 

 the ' female ' more pungent ; wherefore both of them 

 are of use against wild beasts. 2 



These plants then and others like them have, as 

 it were, different forms. Again there are some 

 which have but one form both among those already 

 mentioned and others as well;; for there are numerous 

 plants of this class. 



8 The class of ferula-like plants (for this too belongs 

 to the under-shrubs) comprises many kinds : here 

 we must first speak of the characteristic which is 

 common to all, including ferula itself 4 (nartkex) and 

 narthekia, whether they both belong to the same 

 kind and differ only in size, or whether, as some say, 

 they are distinct. The obvious character of both is 

 alike, except as to size ; for narthex grows very tall, 

 while narthekia is a small plant. Each of them has a 

 single stalk, which is jointed ; from this spring the 

 leaves and some small stalks ; the leaves come 

 alternately by which I mean that they do not 

 spring from the same part of the joint, but in 

 alternating rows. For a considerable distance they 

 embrace the stalk, like the leaves of the reed, but 

 they turn back from it more owing to their softness 

 and their size ; for the leaf is large soft and much 

 divided, so that it is almost hair-like ; the largest 

 leaves are the lowest ones next the ground, and so 

 on in proportion. The flower is quince-yellow 5 and 

 inconspicuous, the fruit 6 like dill, but larger. 7 The 



and above ev ols is hardly satisfactory. Sch. suspects 

 corruption. 



6 /j.i]\ivoei8es : cf. 7. 3. 1. 



tt u./u.avp6i>, Kapirbv 8e conj. Sell.; a/j.a.vp6Kapiroi> Aid. 



7 /*t'a> conj. Sch.; /JLetfrv Aid. 



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