in.] OF THE ANCIENTS. 69 



It is probable that all tbe species of Cistus known 

 to tbe ancients were confounded under this same 

 name, which in Greek was KIO-&O? or KLCTTOS\ 

 a term nearly allied to KLCTO-OS, which was applied 

 to the Ivy* 



DIANTHUS. 



Two species of the Pink tribe run to the height 

 of low shrubs in Greece, namely, the Dianthus 

 arloreus and fruticosus. Theophrastus k speaks of 

 a plant he calls Aioy oivOos, which Neander, quoted 

 by Atheneus, states to be used for chaplets, ap- 

 plying to it the epithet of evcodr)?, fragrant ; but as 

 there is no other reference in ancient writers to 

 such a plant, modern botanists have perhaps been 

 rather rash in identifying it with a Pink, as they 

 have done by giving to the latter the name of 

 Dianthus. 



LINUM. 



The common Flax, Linum usitatissimum, called 

 Xlvov by the Greeks, and Linum by the Latins, 

 being herbaceous, does not come under our notice. 

 And two fruticose species, mentioned by Sibthorp 

 as occurring in Greece, namely, arboreum and COBS- 

 pitosum, do not appear to have been distinguished 

 by ancient writers. 



HYPERICUM. 



Six shrubby species of Hypericum are mentioned 

 by Sibthorp as occurring in Greece, one of which, 



1 Theoph., II. PI. k Bk. vi. 



