758 
Theophrastus (,"570-285? B.C.) 
Above dates are used by Pritzel and by Hort 
in the introduction to his edition of Theophras¬ 
tus, "Enquiiry into plants and minor works on o- 
dours and weather signs” (London and New York* 
1916). Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. Cat. uses dates 
B.C, 574-286j John Crerar printed cards give 
372?-287 B.C,} and Meyer, Geschichte der bota- 
nik, 1:146 (1854) gives them as 371-286 B.C, 
The hist^<;iy of plants is valuable in connec¬ 
tion with the origins of cultivated plants and 
processes of propagation and cultivation. It has 
been translated into English, German and Italian. 
Theophrastus’ lore on fruits has been collected 
in "Walker, Wilhelm, "Die obstlehre der Griechen 
und Rbmer” (Reutlingen, C, MA'cken, 1845); and his 
calendar is included in Stillingfleet, Benjamin, 
”The calendar of flora, Swedish and English" 
(London, Printed for the author and sold by R, 
and J, Dodsley, 1761), many times reprinted. 
The first publication of the work was in the 
Latin version; "De historia et de causis planta- 
rum libros ut latinos legeremus, Theodoro Gaza," 
(Treviso, Barth, Confalonerius, 1483, F®, Hain- 
Copinger 15491); and the Greek was first printed 
in 1497, forming part of an edition of Aristotle, 
(Opera. Venice, Aldus, 1495-98, 5 v., F®, Pelle- 
chet 1175). Sir Arthur Hort, in the introduction 
to his edition of the "Enquiry into plants and 
minor works on odours and weather signs" (London 
and New York, 1916), evaluates many sources, edi¬ 
tions and commentaries. Besides the incunabula, 
the following are some of the best known issues, 
De historia et causis plantarum libri quindecim. Theo¬ 
doro Gaza interprete, [Paris] 1529, 2 v, (Dept. Agr,; 
Arn. Arb,; Lloyd Lib,; Brit. Mus,; Kew; Linnean Soc, 
Ijondon) 
Historia plantarvan, 343 p.; De causis plan- 
tarvan, 354 p. 
Imprint varies: Parisiis, apud Christianxim 
Wechel (v.l. Dept. Agr,); Parisiis, apud Aegi- 
dixam Gourmonctxxm (v.l, Arn, Arb,); Luteciae, 
ex officina Christian! Wechelii (copies of v, 
2, "De causis plantarum") 
