204 
PLTNY's natural mSTORT. [Book XIII. 
in the same manner, in fact, as that of no other tree known. 
This tree, however, appears to have been known to no other 
author, that I am aware of. 
CHAP. 40. THE ANDEACHLE.^ 
Kearly all the Greek writers interpret the name of the tree 
called andrachle," as meaning the same as purslain : " ' 
whereas purslain is, in reality, a herb, and, with the difference 
of a single letter, is called andrachne.*' The andrachle is a 
wild tree, which never grows in the plain country, and is simi- ' 
lar to the arbute tree in appearance, only that its leaves are 
smaller, and never fall off. The bark, too, is not rough, but 
might be taken to be frozen all over, so truly wretched is its 
appearance. 
CHAP. 41. — thecoccygia; the aphaece. 
Similar, too, in leaf to the preceding tree, is the coccygia,® 
though not so large ; it has this peculiarity, that it loses its 
fruit while still in the downy ^ state — they then call it 
pappus — a thing that happens to no other tree. The 
apharce is another tree that is similar to the andrachle, and 
like it, bears twice in the j^ear : just as the grape is beginning 
to flower the first fruit is ripening, while the second fruit 
ripens at the commencement of winter ; of what nature this 
fruit is we do not find stated. 
CHAP. 42. THE PEEULA. 
"We ought to place the ferula^^ also in the number of the 
exotics, and as making one of the trees. For, in fact, we dis- 
tinguish the trees into several different kinds : it is the nature 
of some to have wood entirely in place of bark, or, in other 
s In the former editions, "adrachne" — the Arbutus integrifoHa, F^e 
says, and not the Arbutus andrachne of Linnaeus, as Sprengel thinks. 
' Porcillaca.'* The Portulaca oleracea of Linnaeus. 
8 The Ehus cotinus of Linnaeus, a sort of sumach. 
9 This is not the fact ; the seeds when ripe are merely lost to view in 
the large tufts of down which grow on the stems. 
10 Generally supposed to be the same as the alaternus, mentioned in 
B. xvi. c. 45. Some writers identify it with the PhylUrea angustifolia 
of Linnaeus. 
11 Probably the Ferula communis of Linnaeus, the herb or shrub 
known as *' fennel giant." 
