in.] OF THE ANCIENTS. 95 



only the trailing variety of the plant, which in that 

 condition bears no fruit. 



The Slack Ivy, Pliny states, sometimes bears 

 a seed of a saffron colour, which is used for chap- 

 lets, and is known as the Ivy of Nysa, in Syria. 



Now the variety with yellow berries, Royle tells 

 us, is the one most common in the Himalayas, 

 where it may be seen clinging to the rocks, and 

 clasping the Oaks, so that we can readily believe 

 the account given of Alexander in his Indian expe- 

 dition having been crowned with it. Tournefort, 

 in his " Travels in the Levant," informs us that 

 the variety with the yellow berries is as common at 

 Constantinople as the other kind. 



In Greece and Rome it was used to decorate the 

 thyrsus of Bacchus, as commemorative of the march 

 of the god through that country. 



SAMBUCUS. 



Three species of Elder, or Sambucus, are noticed 

 by Sibthorp as occurring in Greece, and the same 

 number is found in Italy ; S. nigra and S. race- 

 mosa being common to both ; S. ebulus found only 

 in Greece, and S. laciniata in Italy the latter, how- 

 ever, is a variety of racemosa. Sibthorp identifies 

 S. ebulus, or Dwarf Elder, with the Xa/iata/er?? of 

 Dioscorides ; and S. nigra, common Elder, with the 

 O.KTTJ of that author. 



Pliny p says there are two kinds of Sambucus, 



p Lib. xxiv. c. 35. 



