562 M. Link on the Ancient History of 
Lentil , Ervum Lens. 
After the bean, our attention may now be directed to the 
Lentil , ( Ervum lens , Vicia lens ,) since Columella has treated of 
them in this order. Beside the large and small lentil, which are 
but varieties, the black lentil ( Lens nigra), with short, two- 
seeded pods, small, flat, sharp-margined, entirely black seeds, 
seems to be a different species, as is also perhaps the brown- 
spotted lentil ( Lens jpnnctata), with short pods, often contain- 
ing but one seed, and pretty large, roundish, fine brown-spotted 
seeds : But this last is less remote from the common species. 
The lentil grows wild among the corn in Germany, Switzer- 
land and France. The marks of this species have been already 
given. Sibthorp says, (Prodr. FI. Graec.) quandoque etiam 
sponte inter segetes provenit magnitudine minor et cirrhis fere 
orbata ; — a description which is very probable. The Greek 
q>xxos is our lentil ; the descriptions given of it do not disagree 
with this supposition ; and at this day the lentil is called in 
Greece (paw. Formerly pax,* was the name given by Galen to 
the lentil when taken from the pod and dressed. In the Geo- 
ponica, (1. ii. c. 37.), the fruit is called <Pxk'v } and the plant 
<Pxko$. The stem rises obliquely ( 7rXxyioKotvXog , Theophr. Hist. 
PI. 1. viii. c. 3.) Theophrastus says this of all plants which 
have tendrils, but are yet able to support themselves without 
them. The pods are flat, (c. 5.) <t>xx.os is always translated 
by lens or lenticular among the Romans. According to Colu- 
mella, the lentil is sown twice a-year ; early, that is in autumn, 
or late, that is in February. The meal of lentils is much used 
as a medicine. Pliny mentions an Egyptian lentil, rounder and 
blacker than the common (1. xviii. c. 12.); and Theophras- 
tus speaks (Hist. PI. 1. iv. c. 5.) of Indian lentils, resembling 
Fcenum Gracum. From this resemblance I cannot consider 
them as the Dolichos catjang, as Sprengel does, (Hist. Rei 
Herbar. i. p. 80.) Under the Arabian name the lentil 
is cultivated in the east throughout Cabul, as far as the north 
of India ; and in Hindostan it is called maschuri. It is cer- 
tainly a native of a temperate climate, such as the temperate parts 
of Europe. 
