BOOK XIII. XXX. io2-xx\ii. io6 



older record of one before that of the time of Cicero, 

 which proves their novelty. 



XXXI. There is another tree with the same name, Thedtron. 

 bearing fruit which some people abhor for its scent 



and bitter taste while other people are fond of it ; 

 this wood is also used for decorating houses, but it 

 does not need further description. 



XXXII. Africa also, where it faces in our direction, The African 

 produces a remarkable tree, the lotus, called in the produdng 

 vernacular celthis, which also has been naturahzed in /';"'' ^^ 

 Italy, though it has been altered by the change of 



soil. The fmest lotus is found round the Syrtes and 



the district of the Nasamones. It is the size of a 



pear, ahhough Cornehus Nepos states that it is sl Fr.20Haim. 



short fruit. The incisions in the leaf resemble those 



in the holm-oak, except that they are more numerous. 



There are several varieties of lotus. differing chiefly 



in their fruits. This one is the size of a bean and 



saffron-coloured, but it changes colour several times 



before it is ripe, hke grapes. It grows in thick 



clusters on the branches Hke myrtle-berries and not 



hke cherries as it does in Italy ; in its own country 



it is so sweet to eat that it has even given its name to 



a race of people " and to a land which is too 



hospitable to strangers who come there, making them 



forget their native land. It is reported that chewing 



this lotus prevents gastric diseases. The better kind 



has no stone inside it, those of the other variety having 



a kernel of a bony appearance. Also a wine is 



pressed from this fruit that resembles mead, which 



again according to Nepos will not keep for more than 



ten days ; he states that the berries are chopped 



up with wheat and stored in casks for food. Indeed 



we are told that armies have been fed on this while 



i6i 



