378 ON OLIBANUM 



which will be adduced for a different tree, is not op- 

 posed to any arguments of strength in favour of the Ly- 

 cian Juniper. 



A great degree of obscurity has always hung over this 

 subject. We learn from Thkothrastus and from 

 Pliny *, that the Greek writers differed in their de- 

 scription of the tree ; Pliny adds, that the information 

 contained in the volume addressed by King Juba to C. 

 CiESAB, grandson and adopted son of Augustus, was 

 inconsistent with other accounts ; and further remarks, 

 that the Ambassadors, who came to Rome from Arabia 

 in liis own time, had rendered the whole matter more 

 uncertain than ever. The information, obtained in 

 modern times from Arabia, is not more satisfactory. 



Olibanum is named Liihdn and Gundur by the 

 Arabs, But, Benzoin having been introduced into 

 general use, as incense, in place of Olibanum, the name 

 of Luban has been appropriated to that fragrant balsam, 

 and the Muhammedan writers of India, on Materia 

 Medica, apply only the term Ciindiir to Olibanum. 

 The author of the Mekhzemdadviyeh, under this head, 

 states Cundur as Arabick, or according to other opinions 

 Persian,and equivalent to theSyriack Lahdniya{\^y,] ,"^ 

 He describes the drug as the gum of a thorny plant, a 

 yard high, with leaves and seed resembling the myrtle. 

 It grows, he says, on the mountains of Shahar and Ye- 

 men. He, however, adds, that the plant is said to be 

 found in some parts of India. The rohfut id mum'vnn 

 gives a similar description (excepting the remark last 

 quoted ;) and so does the Arabian author Abulfadh 

 cited by the French translator of Pliny 'l-. • 



• Pliny, 12. 14. Theoj hrastus Hist. Plant. 9. 2, 

 t Poinsinet. Paiis I771. tuio. 4. p. 532. 



