THEOPHRASTUS 



ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS 



BOOK VI 



OF UNDER-SHRUBS. 



Of the classification of under-shrubs : the wild kinds : the chief 

 distinction that between spinous and spineless. 



I. WE have spoken already of trees and shrubs, 

 and next we must speak of under-shrubs and 

 herbaceous plants and of any other natural classes 

 which are included with these ; for instance, cereals 

 come under herbaceous plants. 



But first let us tell of under-shrubs,, for this class 

 comes near those mentioned above because of its 

 woody character. Now it may be said that with all 

 plants the wild kinds are more abundant than the 

 cultivated, and this is certainly true of the under- 

 shrubs. For the cultivated kinds of this class J are 

 not numerous, and consist almost entirely of coronary 

 plants, as rose gilliflower carnation sweet marjoram 

 martagon lily, to which may be added tufted thyme 

 bergamot-mint calamint southernwood. For all 

 these are woody and have small leaves ; wherefore 2 

 they are classed as under-shrubs. This class covers 



given in 1, 3. 1, nor do some of the plants here mentioned 

 come under the description. St. considers the text defective. 



