ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. n. 7-8 



Monk's rhubarb 1 however has a single root in a 

 truer sense than any of the others, for it has no 

 stout out-growths of root, but only the 2 slender 

 ones ; its root also runs deeper than that of the 

 others, being more than a foot and a half long. The 

 wild sort 3 however has a shorter root, and has 

 several stems and branches, and its shape, as a 

 whole, when fully grown resembles that of beet. 

 Cultivated monk's rhubarb moreover is longer lived 

 than the wild form, 4 and, in general, we may say, 

 than any other pot-herb, for, they say, it may live 

 any time. It has a fleshy root, 5 full of moisture, 

 wherefore, if pulled up, it will live some time. 



Basil has the single stout root, the one which runs 

 deep, and the others at the sides are slender and 

 fairly long. 



Some herbs, as blite, have not the single straight 

 root, but a number of roots which start directly from 

 the top and are of a good stoutness 6 and longer than 

 those of orach. 



The roots of basil are woodier than those of any of 

 the other herbs, as also is its stem ; for those of blite 

 orach and the like are less woody. In general we 

 may say that the roots of any 7 of these herbs are 

 either woody or fleshy. Examples of fleshy 8 roots are 

 beet celery alexanders monk's rhubarb radish turnip, 

 and especially all ' heavy-headed' 9 kinds, for the 

 roots of these do not wither up altogether even when 

 they are dried. Examples of those with woody roots 



6 p'iav conj. Sch.; vdpita, Aid. 



6 Plin. I.e. seems to have read a different word from 

 ei/Traxets, or to have misunderstood it. 



7 Tcaffiav conj. W. ; ira/>' S>v UMP ; also Ald.H., omitting a. 



8 ffapicwSzis add. Seal, from G. 



9 i.e. bulbous ; cf. 1. 6. 8. 



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