70 THE TREES AND SHRUBS [LECT. 



H. coris y has obtained its name from being sup- 

 posed to be the same which Dioscorides 1 speaks 

 of under the name of ACO/W, a plant which he says 

 is also called vTrcptKov. 



Pliny m also speaks of two species of Hypericum, 

 one of which is distinguished as chamcepytis, or 

 Ground Pine, the other as coris. The description 

 given of both, leaves it doubtful whether our mo- 

 dern Hypericum is intended by either. 



HIBISCUS 



has been already alluded to in " Roman Hus- 

 bandry 11 ," where it is shewn that the term was 

 applied to various plants of the Mallow tribe, and 

 that it corresponded with the aXOaLa of Dios- 

 corides. 



VITIS. 



Some of the varieties of Vine described by an- 

 cient writers seem to exist at the present day 

 a fact worthy of notice with reference to the much 

 disputed question as to the dying out of species. 

 Thus Pliny notices a Greek vine in a manner 

 which would lead us to believe it meant for the 

 Corinth Grape or Currant of the Greek Islands. 



" Graecula," he says, " non inferior Amineis boni- 

 tate, praetenera acino, et uva tarn parva, ut nisi 

 pinguissimo solo colere non prosit." 



1 iii. 164. m Bk. xxvi. ch. viii. " p. 244. 



" Lib. xiv. c. 4. 



