INTRODUCED PLANTS OF EGYPT. 



37.5 



plans of gardens. — Homer and Virgil, both speak of this fruit. 

 And it is commonly cultivated in Egypt, at the present day. 



The flower of the Nelumhium, does not occur on the Egyptian mo- 

 numents ; but I have thought, in various instances, to distinguish 

 the fruit. And according to this conjecture, it is the emblem desig- 

 nating Asiatic prisoners. — Herodotus, distinctly describes the Ne- 

 lumbium ; and as growing in Egypt. But at the present day, the 

 plant is known there, I believe, in but one or two gardens. Delile's 

 figure, does not altogether agree with the Indian species. 



The Cucurbitaceous plant with deeply-lobed leaves, figured on a 

 Pharaonic monument as growing over framework, is perhaps, the 

 Luff a ; but possibly, the Momordica balsamina. — Both these plants, 

 are commonly cultivated in Egypt at the present day. 



The Cucurbitaceous plant with serrated cordate leaves, twice figured 

 (though without fruit) in the Tombs of the Pharaohs, is perhaps 

 the Gow'd, (Lagenaria.) — From the epithet given to a particular 

 variety of pear, it may be inferred, that the ' cucurbita' of Cato 

 and Pliny, is the Gourd. This plant, is figured by Matthioli (a. d. 

 1573) ; and, at the present day, is abundantly cultivated in Egypt 

 and in the other Mediterranean countries. 



The round-headed grain, figured in the tomb of Rhamses Sethos and 

 also at El Kab, and which is pulled while the stems are yet green, 

 corresponds in many respects with the Panicum Italicum. — I re- 

 peatedly met with this plant under cultivation in Egypt; where it 

 is called ' dokn' : the word, occurs in Genesis, and in other portions 

 of the Scriptures. 



Pennisetum typhoideum, (its spike being always erect, and in some 

 varieties ovoid,) is possibly the figured plant. — The ^sKnri of He- 

 rodotus and Theophrastus, and the ' milium' of Pliny (xviii. 7), 

 may also be compared. The Pennisetum, is figured by Dodonseus 

 (a. d. 1569) : and I repeatedly met with the plant in Egypt. 



Barley (Hordeum), is figured on the Pharaonic, if not on the anterior 

 monuments. — Further, the manufacture from barley of ' booza' (a 

 kind of beer), appears to have been practised in Egypt, as early as 

 the time of Herodotus. 



We next arrive at the commencement of Written History ; or the 

 lifetime of the earliest authors whose works are extant; and from this 

 epoch, the testimony of eye-witnesses, in successive generations, ex- 

 tends down to the present day. 



