INTRODUCED PLANTS OF EGYPT 



395 



rium in the Thebaid, o-rowing as a weed in cultivated ground ; and 

 it occurs on the northern shores of the Mediterranean, as appears 

 from Camerarius and Forskal. 

 Dioscorides and Pliny, both mention the Pistia stratiotes ; an aquatic 

 plant, possibly introduced into Egypt with the culture of rice ; 

 though more probably, derived without human intervention from 

 Equatorial Africa. The Pistia, was found in Sennaar by Cail- 

 liaud. 



' Kolgas,' is the current name of the Arum cultivated in Egypt, (C. 

 antiquorum). The 'colocasia' of Columella and Pliny, may be 

 compared. I did not meet with this plant; but it is considered 

 to be distinct from the C. esculenta. 



The 'caltha' of Columella and Pliny, is referred by Fee, to the Calen- 

 dula officinalis. — This plant, according to Forskal and others, is 

 indigenous in Egypt ; but Delile, met with it in gardens, at Alex- 

 andria. 



The ' chserophyllum' of Columella, according to the received opinion, 

 is the Charophijllum sativum. — Forskal, met with this plant, in the 

 gardens of Cairo. 



It has been suggested, that the ' mustard-tree' of the New Testament, 

 is the Salvadora Persica. — And there are reasons for suspecting, that 

 this Tropical tree, has been actually introduced into Egypt and Pa- 

 lestine; though there is some confusion respecting it, in the accounts 

 of writers. 



We next arrive, at the writings of Dioscorides and of Pliny. And 

 the death of Pliny, on the occasion of the destruction of Herculaneum 

 and Pompeii, ('a. d. 79,') forms a convenient epoch, on account of the 

 direct evidence of seeds and fruits exhumed at those places. Tliese 

 seeds and fruits, are now in the Museum at Naples: but I have not 

 met with any puV)lished list of them. 



The (ypvo/XotfCov of Dioscorides, according to the received opinion and 

 the modern Greek usage, is the Planiago major. — The P. major, is 

 enumerated by Forskal, Delile, and others, among the weeds of 

 Egypt. 



The tfo/xos of Dioscorides, according to the received opinion and the 

 modern Greek usage, is the Sonchus oleraceus. — The S. oleraceus, 

 is enumerated by Forskal, Delile, and others, among the weeds of 

 Egypt. 



The xaievog of Dioscorides, according to the received opinion and the 



