ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, I. ix. 5-7 



its leaves, and they say that it does not come into 

 leaf along with the others, but only after the rising 

 of the dog-star. It is said that in Cyprus too there 

 is a plane which has the same peculiarity. 



^ The fall of the leaves in all cases takes place in 

 autumn or later, but it occurs later in some trees 

 than in others, and even extends into the winter. 

 However the fall of the leaf does not corres[K)nd to 

 the growth of new leaves (in M-liich case those that 

 come into leaf earlier would lose their leaves earlier), 

 but some (such as the almond) which are early in 

 coming into leaf are not earlier than the rest in 

 losing their leaves, but are even comparatively 

 late.2 



^ Others again, such as the mulberry, come into 

 leaf late, but are hardly at all later than the others 

 in shedding their leaves. It appears also that position 

 and a moist situation conduce to keeping the leaves 

 late ; for those which grow in dry j)laces, and in 

 general where the soil is light, shed their leaves 

 earlier, and the older trees earlier than young ones. 

 Some even cast their leaves before the Iruit is ripe, 

 iis the late kinds of fig and pear. 



In those which are evergreen the shedding and 

 ^vithering of leaves take place by degrees ; for it is 

 not the same * leaves which always persist, but fresh 

 ones are growing while the old ones wither away. 

 This happens chiefly about the summer solstice. 

 Whether in some cases it occurs even after the rising 

 of Arcturus or at a quite different season is matter for 

 enquiry. So much for the shedding of leaves. 



- uffTcpercouj. H.; Sffrtpof UMYPAld. 



» Plin. 16. 84. 



* Tovra conj. Sch.; raura Aid. 



67 



