68 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. pally those which the Romans held in chiefest repute." Lib. xvi. 



cap. iii. — And in the following, where he treats of Chaplets, and the 

 dignity of the Civic Crown, he says it might be composed of the leaves 

 or branches of any Oak, provided it were a bearing tree, and had acorns 

 upon it. It is then for the esteem which these wise and glorious people 

 had of this tree above all others, that I will first begin with the Oak ; and 



2. QUERCUS ( CERRis ) foliis oblongis lyrato-pinnatifidis, laciniis transversis acutis, 

 subtus subtomentosis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 1415. Oak with ohlong leaves which arc lyre-shaped, 

 wing-pointed, and have transverse acute jags, which are downy on their under side. Quercus 

 calyce hispido, glande minore. C. B. P. 420. Oak with a prickly cup and smaller acorn. — 

 Smaller prickly-cupped Spanish oak. 



This grows naturally in Spain. The leaves are oblong and pointed, and frequently indented 

 in the middle likeal^re; they are jagged and acute-pointed, a little hoary on their under 

 side, and stand upon slender foot-stalks. The acorns are small, and have rough prickly 

 cups. 



3. QUERCUS C EScuLus ) foliis pinnato-sinuatis laevibus, fructibus sessilibus. Lin. Sp. 

 Plant. 1414. Oak with smooth wing-indented leaves, and fruit sitting close to the branches. 

 Quercus parva sive Phagus Graecorum et Esculus Plinii. C. B. P. The small Oak or Pkagiis 

 of the Greeks, and the Esculus of Pliny. The cut-leafed Italian oak. 



This sort grows naturally in Spain and Italy ; the leaves are smooth, and deeply sinuated like 

 winged leaves ; some of the sinuses are obtuse, and others end in acute points ; they have 

 very short foot-stalks ; the branches are covered with a purplish bark when young ; the 

 acorns are long and slender, the cups rough and a little prickly, sitting close to the branches. 

 The acorns are sweet, and are frequently eaten by the poor in the south of France, who, in 

 times of scarcity, grind them and make bread with the flour. Of this species of Oak the 

 Romans made their Civic Crowns. " Civica iligna primo fuit, postea magis placuit ex 

 Esculo Jovi sacra." plin. 



4. QUERCUS fjiGiLOPsJ foliis ovato-oblongis, glabris, serrate dentatis. Lin. Sp. 

 Plant. 1414. Oak with oblong ovals, smooth, sawed, indented leaves. Quercus calyce 

 echinato, glande majore. C. B. P. 420. Oak with a prickly cup and larger acorn. The large 



PRICKLY-CVPPED SPANISH OAK. 



This species grows naturally in Spain. The trunk rises nearly as high as the common Oak; 

 the branches extend very wide on every side, and are covered with a grayish bark, inter- 

 mixed with brown spots ; the branches are closely garnished with oblong oval leaves, about 

 three inches lo,ng, and almost two broad, which are deeply sawed on their edges ; most of 

 the saws or teeth turn backward, and terminate in acute points. The leaves are stiff, of a 

 pale green on their upper side, and downy on their under; the acorns have very large scaly 

 cups which almost cover them ; the scales are ligneous and acute-pointed, standing out a 

 quarter of an inch ; some of the cups are as large as middling apples. 



5. QUERCUS (rubra) foliis obtuse sinuatis setaceo-mucronatis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 1413. 

 Oak with obtuse sinuated leaves, terminated by bristly points. Quercus Esculi divisura, foliis 



