ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IX. iv. 2-4 



Saba Hadramyta Kitibaina and Mamali. The trees of 

 frankincense and myrrh grow partly in the mountains, 

 partly on private estates at the foot of the mountains ; 

 wherefore some are under cultivation, others not ; 

 the mountains, they say, are lofty, forest-covered 

 and subject to snow, and rivers from them flow down 

 to the plain. The frankincense-tree, 1 it is said, is not 

 tall, about five cubits high, and it is much branched ; 

 it has a leaf like that of the pear, but much smaller 

 and very grassy in colour, like rue ; the bark is 

 altogether smooth like that of bay. 



The myrrh-tree 2 is said to be still smaller in 

 stature and more bushy ; it is said to have 3 a tough 

 stem, which is contorted near the ground, and is 

 stouter than a man's leg ; and to have a smooth 

 bark like that of andrachne. Others who say that 

 they have seen it agree pretty closely about the 

 size ; neither of these trees, they say, is large, but 

 that which bears myrrh is the smaller and of lower 

 growth ; however they say that, while the frankin- 

 cense-tree 4 has a leaf like that of bay and smooth 

 bark, that which bears myrrh is spinous and not 

 smooth, and has a leaf like that of the elm, except 

 that it is tiurly and spinous 5 at the tip like that of 

 kermes-oak. 



6 These said that on the coasting voyage which 

 they made from the bay of the Heroes they landed 

 to look for water on the mountains and so saw these 

 trees and the manner of collecting their gums. 

 7 They reported that with both trees incisions had 



Kal Ae/J^Aoiov 5' elvat P 2 ; Xiftavov a\\a rov juev Sa<f>voi$es Kal 

 At6<pv\\ov e'lvat Ald.H. c/. Plin. 12. 57. 



5 c/. 3. 10. 1; 3. 11.3. 



6 c/. Arr. Anal). 3. 5. 4 ; 7. 20. 1 and 2, 

 ' Pliii. 12. 58-62, 



235 



