iv.] OF THE ANCIENTS. 121 



Sibthorp identifies it with the Aa(j)vrj of Dios- 

 corides, but the plant now known as Daphne is 

 the D. laureola^ or Spurge Laurel, which is pro- 

 bably the species called by Pliny Daphnoides. 



Of Daphne Sibthorp mentions thirteen frutescent 

 species, but the D. laureola does not occur amongst 

 them. Fraas, however, has identified his first 

 species, viz. D. Tartonraira, with the Kfecoyoos 1 6 

 XevKos of Theophrastus y , both because it flowers 

 at the autumnal equinox, and also because it has 

 a leaf which is white and thick-skinned or hard 

 (Sepfj-araSes'), in contradistinction to the black 

 kind, the leaf of which is fleshy. The former is 

 fragrant, the latter destitute of smell. 



Daphne Gmdium, the same author contends, is 

 not the Kvecopov fjueXav of Theophrastus, for this 

 has neither fleshy leaves, nor fragrant leaves. He 

 considers it the Casia herba of Virg. z , now called 

 Kavj-a in Eubcea, and the J/xeAata of Uioscorides a , 

 which Sibthorp also regards it. Daphne oleoides, 

 or jasminea, Sibth., is the Xayua/Aea of Dioscorides b 

 and of Pliny. The Tfc-vewpov yue'Aaz> he considers 

 to have been the Passerina hirsuta of Sibthorp. 



Another variety of Laurus is called by Pliny c 

 taxa, and is described by him as having a small 

 excrescence sprouting from the middle of the leaf, 

 and forming a fringe, as it were, hanging from it. 



Now this description applies so well to the Ruscus 

 hypoglossum of modern botanists, that we should 



y vi. 2. * Georg. ii. 213; Eclog. ii. 49. " iv. 170. 



b iv. 169. c xv. 34. 



