120 CHRONOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



In "A. D. 975," the accession of Aziz, of the Fatimite Dynasty, the 

 second sultan of Egypt, took place. A coin issued in Egypt during 

 his reign, is figured by Marcel, p. 103. His name has also been found 

 in an Arabic inscription, at the gold mines of Gebel Ellaka in the Abab- 

 deh Desert ; accompanied with the date of the fourteenth year of his 

 reign (Wilkinson, Thebes and Egypt, p. 416). 



The "kurras" and "anjurat" of Ibn Joljol, and Ibn Baitar, maybe 

 compared with the Senecio squalidus. — This plant was seen by Forskal 

 and Delile, growing in the environs of Cairo and Alexandria. 



In "A. D. 996," the accession of Hakem, of the Fatimite Dynasty, 

 the third sultan of Egypt, took place. He attempted to found a new 

 religion ; and partially succeeded ; for he is the prophet of the Druses 

 of Lebanon. According to Wilkinson, he is treated as a prophet in 

 a Kufic inscription over the door of the mosque built by him at Cairo 

 (Thebes and Egypt, pp. 299 and 547). A gold coin issued by him, is 

 figured by Marcel, p. 104. 



The "setargi indi" of Mesue (De electuar.), may be compared with 

 " zatar hendi," the Egyptian name of Plectranthus crassifolius. — This 

 plant was seen in Egypt by Alpinus ; by Delile, in a greenhouse at 

 Cairo ; and Forskal found it cultivated in Yemen. 



The "cimini carmeni" of Mesue (De electuar.), according to Egyp- 

 tian usage, is the Zygophyllum coccineum. — This is an indigenous 

 plant of the Egyptian Desert: according to Forskal (Mat. Med.), the 

 seeds are sold in the drug shops of Cairo. 



In "A. D. 1021," the accession of Daher, of the Fatimite Dynasty, 

 the fourth sultan of Egypt, took place. A gold coin issued by him 

 at Cairo, is figured by Marcel, p. 105. 



Avicenna speaks of the medicinal use of the "diwdar," obtained 

 from the Himalaya pine, Pinus deodara. — The drug in question, has 

 doubtless been sometime imported into Egypt. 



The "yellow-flowered jasmine" of Avicenna and Serapion, may be 

 compared with the Jasminum odoratissimum. — This plant appears to 

 be unknown in Egypt ; and is supposed to be a native of Madeira : 

 but we should hardly look for Tropical forms in the Madeira vegeta- 

 tion.* 



The "blue jasmine" of Serapion, is referred by Parkinson to the 



* According to Sprengel, Avicenna speaks of bread made from the Canarium commune 

 at Macassar (in the Island of Celebes) ; and Rumphius' account corresponds. — I have 

 met with no notice of the importation of a product of this plant into Egypt. 



