THE TREES, SHRUBS, AND PLANTS 

 OF VIRGIL 



Abies. 



' casus abies visura marines ' (Ge. ii. 68). 



' pulcherrima . . . abies in montibus altis ' (Ec. vii. 66). 



'nigra . . . abiete' [Ae. viii. 599). 



The red or silver fir (Abies pectinata) is common 

 on the Alps, and occurs, though seldom in great 

 quantity, through the range of the Apennines, where 

 Theophrastus notes that it grew to a great size. 

 Byron knew it, though not as Virgil's tree ; and in 

 the lines, 



' But from their nature will the tannen grow 

 Loftiest on loftiest and least shelter'd rocks ' 



[C.H.P. iv. 20), 



he naturalized its German name, a fact overlooked 

 by the N.E.D. In a note he adds that it is the 

 tallest mountain tree, a statement true of Europe. 

 It runs up to a hundred feet. The timber was used 

 in shipbuilding, and on account of its lightness pre- 

 ferred to all others for masts and yard-arras. 



Since a large mass of this fir as seen in the 

 distance looks black, especially against the sky, 

 Virgil's epithet is justified. The Romans, however, 

 generally called evergreen trees black in contrast 

 with the usually lighter foliage of deciduous species. 



Flower, March to May. 



Italian name, Abete rosso. 

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