PLANTS CULTIVATED FOR THEIR STEMS OR LEAVES. 107 



crimson variety is only naturalized in England from 

 cultivation.^ I do not know to what degree this remark 

 of Bentham's as to the wild nature of the sole variety 

 of a yellow colour (var. Molinerii, Seringe) is confirmed 

 in all the countries where the species grows. It is 

 the only one* indicated by Moris in Sardinia, and in 

 Dalmatia by Viviani,* in the localities which appear 

 natural (in pascuis collinis, vn montanis, in herbidis). 

 The authors of the Bon Jardinier ^ affirm with Bentham 

 that Trifolium, Molinerii is wild in the north of 

 France, that with crimson flowers being introduced from 

 the south ; and while they admit the absence of a good 

 specific distinction, they note that in cultivation the 

 variety Molinerii is of slower growth, often biennial 

 instead of annual. 



Alexandrine or Egyptian Clover — Trifolium Alexan- 

 drinum, Linnaeus. 



This species is extensively cultivated in Egypt as 

 fodder. Its Arab name is bersym or berzunJ^ There is 

 nothing to show that it has been long in use ; the name 

 does not occur in Hebrew and Armenian botanical works. 

 The species is not wild in Egypt, but it is certainly 

 wild in Syria and Asia Minor.^ 



Ervilia — Ervwm ErvUia, Linnaeus; Vicia Ervilia, 

 Willdenow. 



Bertoloni* gives no less than ten common Italian 

 names — ervo, lero, zirlo, etc. This is an indication of an 

 ancient and general culture. Heldreich ^ says that the 

 modern Greeks cultivate the plant in abundance as fodder. 

 They call it robai, from the ancient Greek orobos, as ervos 

 comes from the Latin ervum. The cultivation of the 

 species is mentioned by ancient Greek and Latin authors.^ 

 The Greeks made use of the seed ; for some has been 



• Bentham, Handbook Brit. M., edit. 4, p* 117. 



• Moris, Fl. Sard., i. p. 467 ; Viviani, Fl. Dalmat, Hi. p. 290. 

 ' Bon Ja/rdinier, 1880, p. 619. 



• Forskal, Fl. Egypt, p. 71 s Delile, Plant. Cult, en Egypt., p. 10 j 

 WilkinBon, Mawnerg and Customs of Ancient Egyptians, ii. p. 398. 



' Boissler, Fl. Orient., ii. p. 127. ° Beitoloni, Fl. It, vii. p. 500, 



' Nutzpflanzen Griechenlcmds, p. 71. 



• See Lenz; Bot. d. Alten, p. 727 ; Fraas, Fl. Class., p. 54. 



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