ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VIII. vi. y-vii. 2 



least cause a luxuriant growth of leafage, so that the 

 grain is choked and becomes abortive. 



Of the degeneration of cereals into darnel. 



VII. 1 Now, while it is not the nature of any 

 other of these seeds to degenerate and change into 

 something else, they say that wheat and barley 

 change into darnel, and especially wheat ; and 

 that this occurs with heavy rains and especially in 

 well-watered and rainy districts. But that darnel 

 is not a plant of the spring, like other weeds 2 (for 

 some endeavour 3 to make this out) is clear from the 

 following consideration : it springs up and becomes 

 noticeable directly 4 winter comes ; and it is dis- 

 tinguished in many ways ; the foliage 5 is narrow 

 abundant and glossy, and this gloss is the most 

 marked of these differences ; (the 6 leaves of aigi- 

 lops 1 are indeed also abundant, 8 but this character 

 does not shew itself in them till spring). This 

 then is peculiar to the seeds of wheat and barley, 

 and also to those of flax ; for that too, they say, turns 

 into darnel. 



Of the peculiar character of chick-pea. 



A peculiarity of chick-pea as compared with other 

 leguminous plants is that which has been mentioned 

 as to its flowering ; and also the fact that it is 

 the quickest to mature its fruit, being very strong 

 and woody ; and again there is the fact that in 



5 cf. C.P. 4. 4. 11. 6 rots conj. Sch.; rrjs Aid. 



* Plin. 18. 155. 



8 aAX' . . . alyl\(i)iros : text a makeshift. Wanting in Aid. 

 and all MSS. except U ; oA\' fKtyave'is yivovrai /col TO?S rov aly. 

 U; fKfavys yiverai conj. Sch.; eirl for Kai conj. W. 



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