62 
PLINTHS NATUEA.L HISTORY, 
[Book XXIV. 
bears a strong resemblance to hemlock in the stem, leaves, and 
blossom, only that it is smaller and more slender : it is by no 
means unpleasant to the palate. Taken with wine, it acts as 
an emmenagogue, and facilitates parturition : they say too that 
in times of pestilence it is very wholesome, taken in drink. It 
is very useful also for phthisis, administered in broth. It 
sharpens the appetite, and neutralizes the venom of the pha- 
langium. The juice of this plant, after it has been macerated 
some three days in water, is curative of ulcers of the face and 
head. 
CHAP. 98. THE ONOEEYCHIS : THREE REMEDIES. 
The onobrychis'^^ has leaves like those of the lentil, only 
somewhat*^^ longer ; the blossom is red, and the root small and 
slender. It is found growing in the vicinity of springs. 
Dried and reduced to powder, and sprinkled in white wine, 
it is curative of strangury, and arrests looseness of the 
bowels. The juice of it, used as a friction with oil, acts as a 
sudorific. 
CHAr. 99. (17.) — CORACESTA AND OALLICIA, 
"While I am treating of plants of a marvellous nature, I am 
induced to make some mention of certain magical plants — for 
what, in fact, can there be more marvellous than they The first 
who descanted upon this subject in our part of the world were 
Pythagoras and Democritus, who have adopted the accounts 
given by the Magi. Coracesta^^ and callicia, according to 
Pythagoras, are plants which congeaP^ water. I find no 
mention made of them, however, by any other author, and he 
himself gives no further particulars relative to them. 
douin says that it is musk chervil, the Chserophyllum aromaticum of Lin- 
naeus, in which he has followed Dodonoeus. Fuchsius suggests the Chsero- 
phyllum silvestre of Linnaeus : Fee expresses himself at a loss to decide. 
'''' Probably the Hedysarum onobrychis of Linnaeus, our sainfoin. 
"'^ They are very much larger than those of the lentil, in fact. This 
diversity has caused Fee to express some doubts whether it really is iden- 
tical with sainfoin. The Polygala officinalis has also been suggested. 
Dalechamps considers these appellations to mean the virgins' plant/' 
and the "plant of beauty." 
The Cissampelos Pareira, as already stated, abounds in mucilage to 
sucli a degree, as to impart a consistency to water, without impairing its 
tiansparency. See c. 72 of this Book. 
