208 ~ ASTER History ; MACER 
Aster history follows; and first of Anthemis, interpreted by the 
heading Chamomilla; an abstract of his 42 lines is the following: 
“XIV. CuHamMomitta. Anthemis * is commended with great 
praise by the author Asclepius t—which plant we call Chamae- 
melum { or Chamomilla.§ This is a very odorous herb and low- 
growing, similar to that herb which the common people call by 
its exact name Amarisca || because of its ill smell and bitter taste ; 
so similar that when gathered by itself it can scarce be distin- 
guished in odor from the other. 
“ Authors say § there are 3 species, which they say are readily 
distinguished by the flowers alone ; there is in all a central golden 
flower ** (disk), but the flower is girt round with various leaves, 
white or black ++ or of purple color. 
“ Anthemis proper tt is described by authors ; of which plant 
the color of the leaves [rays] is purple; this is the larger and 
stronger. [Anthemis rosea DC., fide Sibthorp: but the Greek 
author used by Macer meant to include more ? and covered Astet 
*Anthemum’’ of many MSS.; Anthemium, Anthemion, Anthemidum, etc., in 
early editions. 
} Pliny writes, ‘‘Anthemis magnis laudibus celebratus ab Asclepiade Pliny, 24 
26. Asclepiades of Bithynia was a celebrated Greek physician, famous for his cures at 
Rome, about 60 B. C., a few fragments from whom were published by Gumpert, 1794 
Some MSS, of Macer read Ascli ipeus, one Esclepius. Perhaps Macer confused this 
Asclepiades with Asclepius or Esculapius the Aiesasctitiest theosophist, known as ** Sco- 
lapio medicus”’ at Monte Cassino in the oth century, where a (still unpublished) MS. 
of his comments on Hippocrates was transcribed. See Giacosa, xxii. 
¢P = 20, 26, like Dioscorides, makes Anthemis and Chamaemelum partial 
synonym 
4 Harpestreng uses Hwithwith as the equivalent name in Danish. Choulant cites 
Megson, Pita ott nag Hermeln, Camellen, as its former German names, ass 
w only Chamillen. 
re pene seu Amarista herba est Anthemis Cotula,’’ Choulant’s rae 51. 
Is not this the first occurrence of Amarisca ? A later occurrence is in the 14 h century 
x rench glossary, Les noms de serch which reads “Amerosce est Amarusta.”’ 
{| ‘‘Auctores dicunt species tres.’’ This and the preceding sentence show Macet 
to be relying on Greek writers ea description of plants unknown to him 
** «* Est cunctis medius flos aureus illis, “ 
Sed variis foliis flos circumcingitur ille, 
Albi vel nigri sunt purpureive coloris.”’ ere 
Tt So the MS., migri by mistake for yellow, melini, which duly occurs with bis 
Chrysanthemum, the “‘crisantemon"’ of one MS., crisantenum often. 
tt Dicitur Anthemis proprie. 
