CHAP. XI. PLANTS FROM PLINY. 6? 



Remarks. 



" Pliny rejects the idle tale of the peach being a poisonous fruit intro- 

 duced by the Persians into Egypt." Vide lib. xv. 13. 



" Like to a palm, but with spreading branches. Fruit fills a man's hand ; 

 of a brown yellow colour. That within large and hard; turned and 

 made into pulleys or sail rings. The nucleus within it eaten tvhen 

 young; exceedingly hard when dry (and ripe)." Vide supra, Vol. II. 

 p. 178. 



" Seed pods used for tanning." " Produces gum." Plin. Vide Allien. 

 XV. p. 680. Groves of it at Thebes, Memphis, and Abydus : the two 

 last still remain. 



" About Thebes, where the Persica, olive (and spina) grow." Plin. 

 The oak is now unknown in Egypt. 



Grows in the Eastern desert of the Thebaid. Vide Descr. de VEgypte. Bot. 

 pi. 28. fig. 1. 



" The olives of Egypt very fleshy, but with little oil." Plin. xv. 3. 

 This is very true. Strabo says " the Arsinoite nome alone (excepting 

 the gardens of Alexandria) produces the olive. The oil is very good 

 if carefully extracted ; if not, the quantity is great, but with a strong 

 odour." Lib. xvii. p. 55Q. 



" Near Thebes." 



Vide supra, Vol. III. p. 146. Strabo, xvii. p. 550. 



Vide supra, Vol. II. p. 183. 215. 217. 



" The flower called Balaustium." Plin. It is the ancient rodon or 

 rose, which was used for its dye, and gave its name to the Island of 

 Rhodes. It is therefore on the reverse of the coins of that island. 



Romans, that care was required for its preservation in the valley of Egypt, since 

 a law was made by them against cutting down the Persea; " de Persetis per 

 ^g\ptum non exciclendis vel vendendis." 



X Pliny's description docs not altogether agree with the Rhamnus, as he says 

 the Prunus resembles the Spina or Acacia, especially in its featlierj' leaves, which 

 when touciied fall, and rise again. This calls to mind the sensitive plant, or Mi- 

 mosa scnsitiva ; but it is unknown in Egypt. I thought Pliny might have had in 

 view the Sodada decidua, or Toiitlioh ; but I am inclined to refer his prunus to the 

 Nabeca. 



§ In lib. xiii. cl 6. Pliny mentions the Tliya tree growing in the 0;tsis of Amnion, 

 and the Cyrenaica, on the authority of Tiicophrastus, wliich he says was known 

 to Homer ; its wood was very durable, and was used for rafters in temples. 



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