68 
pliny's natubal histoey. 
[Book XXIV. 
beetle is continually ascending the interior of the stalk, and 
as often descending, while it emits a sound like the cry of a 
kid ; a circumstance to which the plant is indebted for'its name. 
There is nothing in existence, they say, more beneficial to the 
voice, 
CHAP. 104. THE WOOL PLANT I ONE EEMEDr. THE LACTOKIS ! 
ONE BEMEDY. THE MILITARIS I ONE EEMEDY. 
The wool plant, given to sheep fasting, greatly increases the 
milk. The plant commonly called lactoris,^® is equally well 
known : it is full of a milky juice, the taste of which produces 
vomiting. Some persons say that this is identical with, while 
others say that it only resembles, the plant known as ^'mili- 
taris,"^^ from the fact that, applied with oil, it will effect the 
cure, within five days, of any wound that has been inflicted 
with iron. 
CHAP. 105. THE STEATIOTES: FIVE EEMEDIES. 
The Greeks speak in high terms also of the stratiotes,^^ 
though that is a plant which grows in Egypt only, and during 
the inundations of the river Nilus. It is similar in appearance 
to the aizoon,-^ except that the leaves are larger. It is of a 
remarkably cooling nature, and, applied with vinegar, it heals 
wounds, as well as erysipelas and suppurations. Taken in 
drink with male frankincense, it is marvellously useful for 
discharges of blood from the kidneys. 
CHAP. 106. (19.)^ A PLANT GEOWING ON THE HEAD OE A 
statue: ONE EEMEDY. 
It is asserted also, that a plant growing^^ on the head of a 
17 <'Herba lanaria." See B. xix. c. 18. 
18 Hardouin identifies it with the Ulva lactuca of Linnseus; but that 
plant, Fee says, contains no milky juice, and does not act as an emetic. 
One of the Euphorbiaceae is probably meant. 
^9 *' Military " plant. Hardouin identifies it with the Achillea mille- 
folium of Linnaeus, mentioned in c. 95 of this Book. Fee, however, does 
not recognize the identity. 
2^ " Soldier " plant. Csesalpinus identifies it with the Salvinia natans ; 
but Fee thinks, with Sprengel, that it is the Pistia stratiotes of Linnaeus, 
great duckweed or pondweed. 
21 " Always living.'* See B. xix. c. 58. 
22 It is pretty clear that in relating thi& absurdity he is not speaking of 
one plant solely, but of any plant which may chance to grow on the head 
