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128 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
lias been published about the Maltese Islands since 
the time of the G. Master Lasearis. The Cominen- 
datore Abela refers to it in his “Descritione di 
Malta’ 5 in 1847, where he speaks of it as a herb of 
a reddish colour, which when dried and reduced 
to a fine powder has most salutary effects if used 
as a drink in cases of dysentery. (L. 1. Not. N.). 
The first to note the plant scientifically was J. J. 
Bonamico who, prior to 1670, wrote a pamphlet 
on it entitled u De fuco spicato coccineo melitense /’ 
and P. Boccone in 1697, described it in his “Museo 
di Fisica,” and in a note he dedicated it to Sir J. 
Hoskin Bart, President of the Royal Society of 
London. 
In this work he records many observations 
about the “Fungus ihypciides coccineus. tuberous 
melitensid ’ as he calls it; and he mentions several 
other places besides Malta, in which it occurs. lie 
speaks at considerable length, according to the 
popular ideas of his times, of its medicinal pro- 
perties; and in support of his statements he men- 
tions several remarkable cures that were due to 
its efficacious properties 
Me call it “ Thypoides owing to its resemblance 
to the stems of the iypka; and he suggests that it 
might be usefully employed instead of other 
medicines. 
Bonamico's ideas on the plant, were reproduced 
in Count Ciantar’s Malta Illustrata , 1772; and 
his quaint ideas on the subject are a sample of the 
first stage of science of the pioneers of Maltese 
Natural History. He observes that Abela was 
not exact in calling the fungus a herb, whilst it 
ought to be called a fruit, and that he was like- 
wise mistaken in restricting its habitat to the 
“Hagra tal general” because it grows also on the 
opposite coast of Gozo at Dueira. 
In speaking of its uses he describes the manner 
in which it ought to be prepared and given, and 
he extends its effects to cases of Apoplexy and 
Gomorrea. Nothing is known he says, how it 
came to be discovered, but that some Maltese 
women banished to Gozo were the first to learn its 
valuable properties, and among whom later on 
prevailed the custom to hang the plant on their 
breasts as an amulet of future happiness, but, he 
severely adds, a Capuchin Missionary put a stop 
to this custom. Ciantar concludes saying that in 
his time the Fungus was reserved for the Grand 
Master’s use, which Prof. Gulia confirms in his 
“Repertorio Botanico Maltese ,” 1855, asserting that 
two men for 50 Scudi each year were charged with 
the custody of the Fungus, and a Proclamation 
issued in 1800 under Sir Alexander Ball ordered 
that the ruies regarding the protection of the 
Fungus were to stand good as under the previous 
Goverment, prohibiting to persons of all conditions 
to collect it without a permit from His Excellency 
or from his Secretary. 
These measures show clearly how much prized 
the Fungus was and what an active search for 
if went on, and I do not know of any other indi- 
genous plant so much cared for and protected 
except the “ Ononis ravusissima ” commonly called 
“ Broxga which was and is still used for baking 
purposes, about which there is a paragraph in 
Book VII. C. XII., of the Codice Municipaie 
promulgated under G. M. De Rohan, prohibiting 
its being cut before 2>Iay under a penalty of 
“30 tail”. 
Now a days the Fungus is only looked for as a 
botanic curiosity, its medicinal properties not 
being made much of. 
I have been often asked the best way to 
obtain specimens of it from the abrupt places 
where it grows. Since the interruption cf the 
rope comunication with the General’s Rock this 
is generally not a very easy thing, but I have 
always managed to have it by going in its 
time of flowering to the cliffs off Casal Dingli 
where it is also to be found on the rocks overlook- 
ing the sea, and there ask for it of some country- 
man of the locality, as many know of its value 
and would be glad to fetch if on consideration of 
a trifling gratuity. 
Its flowering time is April and May. 
The Cynotnorium is the only representative of 
the Order of Balanophoraceae in Europe and is 
distinguished as Parlatore observes from its con- 
genera because these prefer inland woody districts 
while the Cynomorium is to be found only in 
sandy places and along the coasts. It lives para- 
sitic on maritime plants such as Atriplex portula- 
coides L., Inula chrytmoicles L., Salsola fruticosa 
L., etc. Its distribution as given by the same 
Parlatore is wide enough, embracing Cadiz, Car- 
thage, Aranjuez, Sardinia, Italy, Favignona, Lam- 
pedusa, Malta, Tunis, Algiers, the Island of Lance- 
