ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, III. xv. 6-xvi. i 



^ The kralaigos is a very common tree ; some call it 

 kra'aigon. It has a smooth ^ leaf like that of the 

 medlar, but longer, and its breadth is greater than 

 its length, while the edge is not jagged like that ^ 

 of the medlar. The tree does not grow very tall or 

 thick; its wood is mottled strong and brown ^ ; it 

 has a smooth bark like that of the medlar ; it has 

 generally a single root, which runs deep. The fruit 

 is round and as large as that of the wild olive ^ ; as 

 it ripens it turns brown and black ; in taste and 

 flavour it is like that of the medlar ; wherefore this 

 might seem to be a sort of wild form of that tree.*^ 

 There is only one form of it and it shews no 

 variation. 



Of certain other oaks, arbutus, andrachne, wig-tree. 



XVI. The kermes-oak' has a leaf like that of the 

 oak,but smallerand spinous,^ while its bark is smoother 

 than that of the oak. The tree itself is large, like 

 the oak, if it has space and root-room ; the wood is 

 close and strong ; it roots fairly deep and it has many 

 roots. The fi'uit is like an acorn, but the kermes- 

 oak's acorn is small ; the new one overtakes that of 

 last year, for it ripens late.^ Wherefore some say 

 that it bears twice. Besides the acorn it bears a kind 

 of scarlet berry i*^* ; it also has oak-mistletoe ^^ and 

 mistletoe ; so that sometimes it happens that it has 

 four fruits on it at once, two which are its own and 

 two others, namely those of the oak-mistletoe ^i and 



' /coTiros Athen. I.e. ; Ko^pifios UMVAld. 



® fieffiri\r] added from Athen. I.e. 



■> cf. 3. 7. 3. s c/. 3. 16. 2. » c/. 3. 4. 1, 4 and 6. 



10 Plin. 16. 32 ; Simon, ap. Pint. Theieus 17. 



" cf. C.P.% 17. 1. 



259 

 s 2 



