ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. ix. 4 -x. i 



these. Some are smooth loose and soft through- 

 out, and, as it were, without 'bark,' as those of 

 cuckoo-pint, while some have a ' bark' attached to 

 the fleshy part, as those of cyclamen and turnip. 

 And not all those that are fragrant or sweet or 

 pleasant to the taste are also l edible, any more than 

 all those that are bitter are uneatable ; any (whether 

 sweet or bitter) that are harmless to the body after 

 being eaten are edible ; for some that are sweet are 

 deadly and dangerous to health, while some are 

 beneficial even if they are bitter or have an evil 

 smell. The same may be said of the leaves and 

 stalks, as in the case of wormwood and centaury. 

 There are also differences in the time of growth and 

 of flowering, the season being variously the beginning 

 or middle of winter, or again spring, summer, or 

 autumn. So too is there in like manner a differ- 

 ence in the fruits, which 2 in some of these plants 

 are edible and juicy, as well as 3 the leaves seeds 

 and roots. And in these cases there are further 

 differences in the taste (of those which are edible 

 and juicy), which may be sharp, pungent, sweet, dry, 

 or exhibit other similar differences, either altogether 

 or in degree. These are examples of the differ- 

 ences which we find. 



Of the seasons at ivhich herbs grow and flower. 



X. Each plant having its proper season for growth, 

 flowering and maturing of the fruit, nothing grows 4 

 before its proper season either of those grown from 

 a root or of those grown from seed, but each awaits 



3 KO.I frifas seems irrelevant. 



4 a.va.QKa.ffTa.vei conj. W. ; avafrXaffTei KOI AU1.H. 



"5 

 i 2 



