PLATE LXXIV. 
2. API. 
[Syn : Lady Apple ; Pomme d'Api; Api Petit; Api Rouge ; Petit Api Rouge i\ 
According to Merlet, the Api was first discovered as a wilding in the Forest of Api, in 
Brittany. 
“ It has been asserted,” says Dr. Hogg, “ that this apple was brought from Peloponnesus, 
to Rome, by Appius Claudius.” Whether this be true or not, there can be no doubt it is of great 
antiquity, as all the oldest authors regard it as the production of an age prior to their own. 
Dalechamp and Hardouin are of opinion that it is the Petisia of Pliny ; but J. Baptista Porta 
considers it to be the Appiana, of that author who thus describes it, “Odor est cotoneorum magnitudo 
quse Claudianis, color rubens.” (Plinii Hist. Nat. Lib. xv., cap. 14.) From this description it is 
evident that two varieties are referred to, the Appiana and Claudiana. Such being the case, 
J. Baptista Porta says, “ duo sunt apud nos mala, magnitudine, et colore paria et preciosa, quorum 
unum odorem servat cotoneorum, alterum minime. Quod odore caret, vulgo dictum Melo rosa. Id 
roseo colore perfusum est, mira teneritudine et sapore, minime fugax, pomum magnitudine media, ut 
facile cum ceteris de principatu certet, nec indignum Claudii nomine. Hoc Claudianum dicerem ” 
(Villae, p. 278). Mela Rosa may possibly be the Pomme Rose or Gros Api; and if so, we may infer 
that the Api is the Appiana , and the Gros Api the Claudiana of Pliny. This however, may 
be mere conjecture, but as the authority referred to was a native of Naples, and may be supposed 
to have known something of the traditionary associations of the Roman fruits, it has been deemed 
advisable to record his opinion on the subject. 
“ The Api does not appear to have been known in this country, till towards the end of the 
17th century, although it is mentioned by most of the early continental writers.” It is first noticed by 
Worlidge, who calls it “ Pomme Appeased a curious apple, lately propagated, the fruit is small and 
pleasant, which the Madams of France carry in their pockets by reason they yield no unpleasant 
scent. Lister, in his “Journey to Paris” (1698), speaking of this as being one of the apples 
