ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, I. vi. 8-9 



that is to sajj this fleshy or bark-hke root. Hke squill, 

 as well as the ^ roots which grow from this. For 

 tliese roots not only differ in degree of stoutness, 

 like those of trees and pot-herbs ; they are of quite 

 distinct classes. ^ This is at once quite evident in 

 cuckoo-pint and galingale/ the root being in the one 

 case thick smooth and fleshy, in the other thin and 

 fibrous. Wherefore we might question if such roots 

 should be called ^ roots ' ; inasmuch as they are under 

 ground they would seem to be roots, but, inasmuch 

 as they are of opposite character to other roots, they 

 Mould not. For your root gets slenderer as it gets 

 longer and tapers continuously * to a point ; but the 

 so-called root of squill purse-tassels and cuckoo-pint 

 does just the opposite. 



Again, while the others send out roots at the 

 sides, this is not the case ^ with squill and purse- 

 tassels, nor yet with garlic and onion. In general 

 in these plants the roots which are attached to 

 tlie ' head ' in the middle appear to be real roots 

 and receive nourishment,*' and this • head ' is, as 

 it were, an embryo or fruit ; M-herefore those who 

 c.ill such plants ' plants which reproduce them- 

 selves imderground ' " give a fair account of them. 

 In other kinds of plants there is nothing of this 

 sort.^ But a difficult question is raised, since here 

 tlie ' root ' has a character which goes beyond what 

 one associates with roots. For it is not right to call 

 al that which is underground 'root,' since in that 

 case the stalk ^ of purse-tassels and that of long 

 onion and in general any part which is under- 



eiTeo-j oiaaAeyoi-Tfs U ; (v re roh oaTois aKtyovres MV (omit- 

 ting T€) Aid. (omitting tois). 



* Totovro /xiv ovSev conj, W. ; tovto ixev MSS. 



* &I' 6 Kav\6s conj. St.; avaKuvXos Aid. 



47 



