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BROOM.— SPARTIUM. 



Natural order, Papilionacece, or Leguminosce. 

 A grnus of the Diadelphia Decandria class. 



" the broom, 



Yellow and bright as bullion unalloyed, 

 Her blossoms." 



This shrub, whose rushy twigs are so gaily 

 decked with vegetable butterflies of flamy 

 gold, has caused much dispute amongst the 

 learned etymologists whether it be the Spar- 

 tium, Z7TccgTtov, of Dioscorides or not. The La- 

 tins called it genista, and their great natural 

 historian (Pliny) says that he was not able to 

 ascertain whether genista was the same as 

 Spartium or not ; but from what he has stated, 

 as well as from what the oldest Greek authors 

 have written, we are of opinion that the Spart 

 of the old Greeks was not the same as the 

 Spartium of later days. The first cordage 

 and ropes which the Greeks made for their 

 nautical vessels was formed of rushes, and their 

 word <rx<>woq signifies equally a rush and a 

 rope ; but when they became acquainted with 



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