184 CHRONOLOGICAL ARRANGEMENT 



Eastward from the Caspian, was observed by Roxburgh in Hindustan, and is known to occur in 

 Anam (Dec, Steud., and Lindl.). Across the Atlantic, is known to occur from Lat. 67° (Hook.) to 

 Kentucky (Short), and being semiaquatic possibly indigenous, observed by myself in the outskirts of 

 towns from the Lower St. Lawrence to Philadelphia, and not in wild situations. Clearly by European 

 colonists, was carried to Buenos Ayres and Valparaiso (Hook.). The leaves according to Lindley 

 are " said to be used by beggars to produce ulcers." 



Atropa belladonna of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Called in Britain dwale or 

 deadly nightshade (Prior), in France "belle-de-nuit " (Nugent), in Germany " tollkirsche,'' in Italy 

 " belladonna " or " solano maggiore " (Lenz) ; and probably the real origin of the proverb in question : 

 — the "struhnos manikos " of Theophrastus vii. 15. 4 and ix. 11. 6 is referred here by Scarlatus : 

 the account by Dioscorides as far as the black flower and soft black berries like those of ivy, seems 

 to correspond: A. belladonna was observed by Sibthorp on mount Athos. Westward, is described 

 by Anguillara p. 90, Dodoens p. 456, and F. Columna phyt. pi. 12 (Spreng.) ; is termed " belladonna 

 majoribus foliis et floribus " by Tournefort inst. 77 ; is rare even in Northern Italy (Lenz) ; but is 

 known to grow in mountainous wooded situations as well as in waste places throughout middle 

 Europe as far as Britain (J acq. austr. iv. pi. 309, and Pers.). By European colonists, was carried to 

 Northeast America, where it "has escaped from gardens in one or two places " (A. Gray). The 

 berries according to Lindley are " sweetish " and very dangerous, inducing •' intoxication accompanied 

 with fits of laughter and violent gestures " and finally "convulsions and death : " the plant is used 

 medicinally as narcotic, and "especially in producing a dilatation of the pupil when its infusion is 

 dropped into the eye." 



Pliillyrea latifolia of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Italy " fillirea " (Lenz), in Greece 

 "aglanthinia " or "phullika" or "phulliki " (Sibth.), and the * VV I H shrub of dense woods described 

 by Homer od. v. 477, — is referred here by Hogg: the " philure'a "is enumerated by Theophrastus i. 9. 3 

 as evergreen ; the " phillurSa " of Dioscorides large as the " kupro " with leaves broader than those of 

 the olive and fruit as in " shinS," is referred here by writers : and the " utm " of Elbekri, Gafeki, Ebn 

 Joljol, and Ebn Baitar, is referred here by Sontheimer : P. latifoiia was observed by Sibthorp, Chau- 

 bard, and Fraas 93, frequent from the mountains of Crete and the Peloponnesus throughout the 

 Greek islands; and by Clot-Bey, in the gardens of Egypt. Westward, is figured by Matthioli pi. 

 (Spreng.), and Clusius hist. pi. 51 ; is termed "ph. folio leviter serrato " by Tournefort inst. 596; was 

 observed by Hogg "not uncommon in the woods of Sicily" (Hook, journ. b. 1834); and is known to 

 grow wild in Italy and other parts of Southern Europe (Pers., and Lenz). 



Rhamnus alatcrnus of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Italy " alaterno " (Lenz), in 

 Greece " kitrinoxulon " (Sibth.) or "phulliki "or on Crete " elaitrinos ? " (Fraas), and possibly the 

 shrub in question : — the " philuke " described by Theophrastus iii. 3. 3 to v. 7. 7 as an evergreen 

 shrub always leafy, is referred here by Sprengel : R. alaternus was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard, 

 and Fraas, frequent in bushy tracts in company with the preceding and the wild olive from Zacynthus 

 to Attica. Westward, the " alaternus " is mentioned by Columella vii. 6. 1 ; by Pliny xvi. 45, among 

 trees bearing no fruit and never planted, regarded as condemned by religion and unpropitious : R. 

 alaternus is described by Clusius hist. i. pi. 50 ; is termed "alaternus " by Tournefort inst. 595 ; and 

 is known to grow in Italy, Spain, and on the Balearic Islands (Pers., and Lenz). 



Cynodon dactylon of Tropical Eastern Asia. A grass called in Italy " gramigna " or " ^ramecna " 

 or "capriola" (Lenz), in Greece "agriatha" (Sibth.), in Egypt " nedjil " or " nisjil,"°in Yemen 

 " ubal " or " sabak " (Forsk.), in Egyptian " makrosthen " (transl. Sept.) or " anouphi " (Syn. Diosc.) ; 

 in which we recognize the A/> PO&tl/V of Homer od. vi. 90, — springing up on the paternal estate 

 of Aristodemus and terminating through bis suicide the First Messenian war (Plut. superst. 8), 

 figured by Polygnotus (Paus. x. 31), when in flourishing condition according to Democritus one 

 of the signs of water (geopon. ii. 6), termed " £ilit£nes " creeping by Theocritus xiii. 42, mentioned 

 also by Aristotle an. v. [9, Theophrastus, Polybius, Diodorus i. 43, Athenaeus viii. 4, Apuleius, and 

 Paulus Aegineta: C. dactylon was observed by Forskal, Sibthorp, Borv, and Fraas, frequent from 

 the Peloponnesus to Tenedos, its roots as in the days of Dioscorides 'employed in decoction as 

 diuretic (Walp. trav. p. 432) ; is known to occur in waste ground along the Taurian mountains 

 (Bieb.). Westward, the "agrtstis" or "amaxitis" or " aigikon " is identified in Syn. Diosc. with 

 the " ieval" of the Numidians, " aparia " of the Spanish, and " gramSn " of the Romans ; the " corona 

 graminea" was bestowed on L. Siccius Dentatus tribune in 454 B. C. and victor in one hundred and 

 twenty battles, subsequently on others enumerated by Pliny xxii. 5; the " gramen " is mentioned 

 also by Livy, Columella vi. 31, and as " vulgatissimum " by Pliny xxiv. 118: C. dactylon is described 

 by Dalechamp, and Lobel ; is termed " gramen dactylon radice repente sive officinarum " by Tour- 

 nefort inst. 520; was observed by Forskal on Malta and near Marseilles; is known to occur also 

 in Barbary and along the Atlantic as far as Cornwall in Britain (Pers., Dec, and Wats ). Farther 

 South, the "agrostis" is enumerated by Agatharchides as growing in the countries alone* the Red 



