ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. xm. 4-6 



plainly are also increased by seed, as the asphodel 

 polyanthus narcissus corn-flag and purse-tassels. 



However it is said to be a peculiarity of purse- 

 tassels that all the seeds do not germinate at once, 

 but some in the same year, some the next year ; a 

 like account is given of aigilops 1 and trefoil. If then 

 this is true, it is not peculiar to this plant. Nor 

 perhaps is the following characteristic, which is not 

 found in many -plants and is marvellous wherever it 

 does occur and it is found in squill and narcissus : 

 namely that, whereas in most plants, whether those 

 originally planted or those which are produced from 

 them in season, the leaf comes up first and then 

 presently the stem, in these plants the stem comes 

 up first. 



In the case of narcissus it is only the flower-stem 

 which comes up, and it immediately pushes up 2 the 

 flower. But in squill it is the stem 3 proper which 

 thus appears, and presently the flower appears 

 emerging 4 from and sitting on it. And it makes 

 three flowerings, 5 of which the first appears to mark 

 the first seed-time, the second the middle one, and 

 the third the last one ; for, according as these 

 flowerings have occurred, 6 so the crops usually turn 

 out. But, when the flower-stem 7 has waxed old, 

 then the growth of the leaves follows many days 

 later. So also is it with narcissus, except that it 

 has no second stem besides the flower-stem, as we 

 said, nor any visible fruit ; but the flower itself 



3 i.e. the whole 'bud.' 



* avlffxov Aid. ; aviaxw conj. Sch. followed by W. 



5 Plin. I.e.-, cf. 18. 237. 



6 i.e. the flowering is the sign when to sow. The same is 

 said of the fruiting of <rxVos de signis 55. 



7 ovros conj. Sch.; OVTUS Aid. 



K 2 



