INTRODUCED PLANTS OF EGYPT. 



385 



domestica) : possibly, the wild kind (P. insititia) : but the -Trpouv-/) of 

 Theophrastus, or the ' pruniis' of Pliny, is considered to be the 

 garden plum. — Several varieties of the plum, are cultivated in 

 Egypt; but the fruit, is said to be of inferior quality. 



The iv2j (Hedera), is mentioned by Anacreon and Pindar; and as a 

 plant connected with the worship of Bacchus. Alexander, accord- 

 ing to Arrian, met with priests of Bacchus on the upper Indus; 

 who asserted, that the ivy in that quarter, grew only upon Mount 

 Meros. The plant, is usually considered to be a native of Europe; 

 but this, is not altogether certain. — I liave been informed, of some 

 recent unsuccessful attempts to cultivate the ivy in Egypt. 



The xpivov of Anacreon, Herodotus, and Theophrastus, according to 

 the received opinion, is the white lily of the gardens, Lilium can- 

 didum. — According to Clot-Bey and Figari, the cultivation of this 

 plant in Egypt, hardly extends beyond the Pasha's garden. 



The Sesamum and its oil, are mentioned by Herodotus ('born b. c. 

 484'), in his account of the Euphrates. Pliny, moreover, speaks 

 of the Sesamum as existing in Egypt. — And the plant is well 

 know^n there, at tlie present day. 



Herodotus, had heard of a kind of " plant growing in India, which, 

 instead of fruit, produces wool; out of which the inhabitants make 

 their clothes." In this description, we readily recognise cotton : 

 and some centuries later, as appears from Pliny and others, the 

 cotton plant, was introduced into Egypt. 



Herodotus, describes the edible NymphcBa lotus ; and as abounding in 

 Egypt: where, however, the plant is possibly indigenous. Theo- 

 phrastus, also mentions the white-flowered lotus. 



The ^pii5a^ of Herodotus, Dioscorides, and Athenseus, according to the 

 received opinion and the modern Greek usage, is the lettuce, (Lac- 

 tuca sativa). The lettuce, is very generally cultivated in the Arab 

 countries at the present day. 



Hemp, xavva§iff, is mentioned by Herodotus ; and as a plant, used by 

 the Scythians for making cloth. — According to Lane, hemp was 

 not used in Egypt to produce intoxication, until about a. d. 1240. 



Herodotus, speaks of the use in Egypt, of the timber of the 'Lotus 

 of Cyrene ;' and this corresponds, with the account by Clot-Bey 

 and Figari, of the jujube, (Zizyphus vulgaris). According to the 

 modern Greek usage, the jujube, is the 'zizyphus' of Pliny. 



The Pimpiriella anisum, is in Egypt called ' yansoun.' The avvri^ov of 

 Herodotus, and of some of the writings attributed to Hippocrates, 



U7 



