200 
PLINY's NATtJEAL HISTOET. [Book XIII. 
emerges entirely from the water and opens its flower ; after 
which it still continues to rise, until at last it is to be seen 
raised quite aloft, high aboye the level of the water. This 
lotus has a root about the size of a quince, enveloped in a black 
skin, similar to that with which the chesnut is covered. The 
substance that lies within this skin is white, and forms very- 
pleasant food, but is better cooked, either in water or upon 
hot ashes, then in a raw state. Swine fatten upon nothing 
better than the peelings of this root. 
CHAP, 33. (19.) THE TEEES OE CYEENAICA. THE PALirJEUS. 
The region of Cyrenaica places before the lotus its paliurus,'^ 
which is more like a shrub in character, and bears a fruit of 
a redder colour. This fruit contains a nut, the kernel of which 
is eaten by itself, and is of a very agreeable flavour. The 
taste of it is improved by wine, and, in fact, the juices are 
thought to be an improvement to wine. The interior of 
Africa, as far as the Garamantes and the deserts, is covered 
with palms, remarkable for their extraordinary size and the 
lusciousness of their fruit. The most celebrated are those in 
the vicinity of the Temple of Jupiter Hammon. 
CHAP. 34. NINE VAKIETIES OP THE PUNIC APPLE. BALAXTSTlUJfl:, 
But the vicinity of Carthage is claimed more particularly as 
its own by the fruit the name of which is the Punic apple 
though by some it is called " granatum."'''^ This fruit has 
been distinguished into a variety of kinds; the name of ; 
apyrenum'* ^ being given to the one which has no^^ woody I 
seeds inside, but is naturally whiter than the others, the pips 
being of a more agreeable flavour, and the membranes by 
which they are separated not so bitter. Their conformation in j 
Probably the Ekamnus paliurus of Linnaeus ; the Spina Christi of 
other botanists. 
The pomegranate, the Punica granatum of botanists. 
79 Or "grained apple.'* 
60 From the Greek aTrvprjvovj "without kernel.'* This Fee would not i 
translate literally, but as meaning that by cultivation the grains had been 
reduced to a very diminutive size. See B. xxiii. c. 57. 
This variety appears to be extinct. Fee doubts if it ever existed, 
82 See B. xxiii. c. 57 
