ON INTRODUCED ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 57 



to the "porrum sectivum" of Pliny), may also be compared with the 

 Hebrew verb " krt," and with " kourat," the current Egyptian name 

 of the leek. 



The mapaqon of Epicharmus, Archestratus, Demosthenes, and 

 Athenseus ii. 47 and 83, according to the received opinion and Sib- 

 thorp's account of the Greek usage, is the fennel (Foeniculum vul- 

 gare). — Clot-Bey and Figari enumerate the fennel among the plants 

 long known in Egypt. 



In Egypt, the garden-basil (Ocymum basilicum) is called " ryhan ;" 

 in which word we recognise, the orirANON of Epicharmus, Ion, Aris- 

 tophanes, Athenseus ii. 77, and the Modern Greeks. The field culture 

 of the garden-basil in Egypt is mentioned by Belon. The genus 

 Ocymum appears to be strictly Tropical, and of course, foreign origi- 

 nally to the Mediterranean countries. 



The sehaa of Epicharmus (quoted by Athenseus ii. 83), accord- 

 ing to the received opinion, is the endive (Cichorium endivia). — This 

 plant is well known in Egypt ; as also, the closely allied succory (C. 

 intybus): and Pliny's statement (xix. 39), that the "erraticum intu- 

 bum " or succory is called " chichorium" in Egypt, is found to be true 

 at the present day. 



The kdton (above mentioned) of Epicharmus, Theophrastus vi. 6, 

 and Athenseus ii. 83, may also be compared with the a phoy" of Dios- 

 corides and Pliny ; referred by Sibthorp to the Valeriana Dioscoridis: 

 and the " keltike nardos" of Nicander, Andromachus, Dioscorides, and 

 Macer Floridus 75, is considered to be the V. Celtica. It would seem, 

 therefore, that valerian roots, procured on the wild mountains of Europe, 

 already formed an article of commerce with Egypt. — Where, according 

 to Alpinus, they are still used for medicinal purposes. 



The AAnAeoN of Epicharmus, Theophrastus, Diodes, Pliny, and 

 Athenseus ii. 57 and 83, according to the received opinion, is the 

 Rumex jyatientia. — A plant regularly cultivated in Europe ; and seen 

 by Sibthorp in Greece ; and from being apparently noticed by Athe- 

 nseus, perhaps once known in Egypt. 



The kissos, or ivy (Hedera), a plant connected with the worship of 

 Bacchus, is mentioned by Pratinas, Pindar, Sophocles, Semus Delius, 

 and Athenseus xiv. 16. The ivy is generally considered to be indi- 



Archipelago; where, from Sibthorp's account, it would seem to be indigenous; but it has 

 not hitherto been observed in Egypt. 



15 



