ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. n. 2-4 



leek l also make offsets, sending out a ( head ' below, 

 like the bulb of purse-tassels, from which the leaves 

 spring; but this only takes place when the stem 

 has withered and the seed has been removed. But, 

 as 2 the ' heads ' 3 of such plants are not useful, they 

 do not collect them 4 for storing dry ; wherefore also 

 they do not plant these. 5 It may be that somehow 

 these are akin and closely allied to onion, wherefore 

 what has been said is not surprising. However in 

 all those plants, both wild and cultivated alike, 6 

 which have an annual stem, 7 but yet live longer than 

 a year, there is an outgrowth of the roots, just as 

 there is in under-shrubs and shrubby plants : while 

 in onions garlic and purse-tassels even a number, 8 

 as it were, of such roots is formed. In fact, 9 they 

 are reproduced in three ways, as has been said ; from 

 seed in all cases and from the stem 10 and root in 

 those specified. 



11 Almost all shoot again if the stem is broken 

 (except those which are stemless), but most obviously 

 basil lettuce cabbage, which are, as it were, broken 

 for a practical reason. Indeed they say that the 

 stems of lettuce which thus grow again are sweeter, 12 

 for that the original stem has a taste like fig-juice 

 and is bitter, as being not properly ripened. Some 

 however say that the later stems have the taste of 

 fig-juice more than the original one, but that, so long 

 as they are tender, they appear sweeter. Be that as 



8 apid/mbs is clearly corrupt, and has displaced an unusual 

 word for which Sxrirep apologises. 



9 8)/conj. Sch.; 5e Aid. 



10 /cauAoC is here that part of the plant which is above 

 ground. u Plin. 19. 122. 



12 7/8U;s Vo.mBas.H., so too G, Plin. I.e., Athen. 2. 69; 

 UAld. cf. C.P. 2. 15. 6. 



69 



