The Australian Naturalist 
Vol. V. JANUARY, 1924. Part 9. 
NOTE.—Members having any matter of interest suitable for public. c 
ation in these pages are requested to communicate with the Editor. 
THE PLANTS OF THE BIBLE. 
By Tos. SvrEEu. 
“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:?’ Matt. VI. 
The remarks which I submitted last session, on the Gem 
Stones of the Bible, were so well received by my fellow mem- 
bers that I have ventured to follow up another aspect of Bible 
Natural History study, to which I gave some attention in the 
course of my compilation of that essay; a study of the plants 
mentioned in the Bible. 
As in the case of the gem stones, a little investigation 
shows that a great deal of uncertainty exists in the translation 
of the technical terms applied by the old Hebrew writers to 
plants. Not only are various names apparently used at different 
places for the same plant, but translators have frequently trans- 
lated Hebrew into English names which are certainly erroneous, 
because these were plants unknown in Palestine and which 
subsequent botanical study has shown to be quite inappropriate. 
Again being in many cases without any technical know- 
ledge the translators have contented themselves with endeavour- 
ing to find an English equivalent of the Hebrew name. 
One of the first scientific writers to apply a knowledge of 
the botany of Palestine to the elucidation of this interesting 
subject, was Canon Tristram, who, in speaking of the names 
used, shows that considerable numbers of different plants were 
grouped together under common titles, such as “thorns” for the 
characteristic xerophytic harsh, thorny plants growing in the 
dry parts of Palestine or in the deserts; or “bitter herbs” for 
the somewhat numerous Cruciferae or ‘Compositae used by the 
eastern races as condiments. ’ 
Dr. J. H. Balfour, of Edinburgh, in 1886, or a year prior to 
Canon Tristram, published an excellent little work on the same 
subject. The Rev. John Duns also wrote a lengthy work in 
two volumes, published without a date, entitled “Biblical Natural 
Temnendatee 
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