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The same year ( = “ 60th olympiad ” ), the well-ascertained date o£ the poet Hipponax — (according
to Pliny xxxvi. 4).
Chelidonium majus of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Called in Britain celandine
(Prior), in France “ chelidoine ” (Nugent), in Germany “ Schöllkraut,” in Italy “ celidonia” or
“ cheliclonia maggiore” (Lenz), in Greece “ hilithoni on ” (Sibth.), in Egyptian “ möthöth ” (Syn.
D io s c .) ; in which we recognize the X EA I AO N 0 N : <I> A PM A KO N of Plipponax, — “ hëlithôniôn”
supposed according to Aristotle to restore sight to young swallows, and the “ hëlithôniôn mëga ” of
Dioscorides having acrid yellow juice and fruit like that of the “ këratitithôs mekönös” horned
poppy : the “ clialidunium ” is mentioned also by Arab writers : C. majus was observed by Sibthorp,
and Fraas, around villages in Greece and seemingly wild on the Bithynian Olympus. Westward, the
“ hëlithôniôn mëga ” or “ paiönia ” or “ krataia ” or “ panthios riza ” or “ philômëthëiôn ” is identified
in Syn. Diosc. with the “ krôustanë” of the Dacians, “ thöna ” of the Gauls, and “ phavioum” of the
Romans : the “ chelidoniam maior ” two cubits high with yellow flowers, is mentioned by Pliny xxv.
50 ; and two species of “ clielidoniae,” by Macer Floridus 52 : C. majus is described by Dodoen.s,
and Gerarde; is termed “ ch. m. vulgare” by Tournefort inst. 231 ; and is known to occur in waste
places from Italy to Denmark (fl. Dan. pl. 676, Pers., and Wats.). By European colonists, was
carried before 1669 (Joss.) to Northeast America, where it continues a garden weed in our Northern
and Middle States. Its juice according to Lindley “ is a popular remedy for warts, and has been
employed successfully in opacities of the cornea.”
Brassica olerácea of the seashore of Northern Europe. Called in Britain cale or cole or colewort
or cabbage (Prior), in France “ ch o u ” and the headed variety “ chon c ab u s ” (Nugent), in Germany
“ kohl,” in Italy the headed variety “ capuccio ” or “ cavolo capuccio ” (Lenz), in Greece “ lahanon ”
(Sibth.), in Egypt “ krumb ” (Forsk.) ; in which we recognize the “ kramvë ” identified by Aristotle,
and Athenaeus, with the PA3>AN0 £ of Hipponax,— Ananias, Epicharmus, and others, imitating a
tree in its trunk according to Theophrastus i- 3. 4; known to the earlier Greeks in three varieties,
and especially commended by Pythagoras, Dieuches, and Chrysippus (Plin. xx. 33) ; the “ kramvë”
is mentioned also in the Batrachomyomachia, and by Teleclides, Eupolis, Timaeus, Apollodorus of
Caiystus, Nicander; its leaves according to Diphilus Siphnius, and Dioscorides, deteriorating in
Egypt after the first year, but seeds produced there commended for medicinal use : the headed or
leafy variety of B. olerácea according to CIot-Bey deteriorates in Egypt ; and the only kinds seen
there by Alpinus were the “ brassica raposa” turnip-siemmed, and the cauliflower called there
“ karnabid,” in Greece “ karnaviti ” (Forsk.), by Florentinus “ karnavathiön ” (geopon. ix. 28), and
by Theodoras Ptochoprodromus “ karnavathin ; ” B. olerácea was seen also by Forskal, and Delile,
under cultivation in Egypt ; and by Forskal, Sibthorp, Chaubard, and Fraas, under cultivation in
Greece. Westward, the “ kramvë këpaia” is identified in Syn. Diosc. with the “ v ras s ik a ” of the
Romans; the “ brassica” (from the Celtic “ bresic ” ) is mentioned by Cato 156, Columella, and
the “ brassica capitata ” by Pliny : B. olerácea is described by Dodoens pempt. p. 626; is termed
“ b. maritima arbórea seu procerior ramosa” by Tournefort inst. 220; is cultivated from Italy
throughout middle and Northern Europe, and is known to grow wild on the sea cliffs of Northwestern
France, Britain, and Denmark (Pers., Bose, Bab., and Fries). Eastward from Syria, is called in
Tartar “ k ap s ta ” (Moritzi), in Hindustanee and Bengalee “ kobi ” (D ’roz.) or “ kopee ” (Pidd.), but
has no Sanscrit name (A. Dec.) ; was observed by Graham in the environs of Bombay, “ commonly
cultivated during the cool season ; ” by Royle him. 70, in Northern Hindustan ; by Mason, “ exotic ”
in Burmah and called “ them-bau-mung-la ; ” by Loureiro, under cultivation in Anam and China. By
European colonists, was carried to Northeast America, where it continues abundantly cultivated ;
also to the islands of the Pacific, observed by myself naturalized on_the Hawaiian Islands, Taheiti,
Tongatabu, and New Zealand.
Mentha crispa of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Called in Italy “ sisembro ”
(Matth.) ; the M I N 0 H, coronary according to Hipponax, — mentioned also by Cratinus (Athen. ii),
by Theophrastus ii. 4. i and caus. ii. 16. 4 as a supposed degenerate form of “ sisumvriön” from
neglected cultivation, may be compared : the “ sisumvriön ” of Cratinus, Pherecrates, Strattis, Antiphanes,
Philinus, Athenaeus xii. 78, mentioned as coronary by Theophrastus vi. i. :, Nicander, and
Dioscorides, is referred here by Matthioli : M. crispa was observed by Sibthorp wild in the Peloponnesus
; and is enumerated by CIot-Bey and Figari as long known in Egypt. Westward, the “ sisumvriön
” or “ aphrothites stëphanon” is identified in Syn. Diosc. with the “ ôustëralis” or “ ërva
vënërëa” of the Romans; the “ sisymbrium” is mentioned by Ovid; by Pliny xix, 55 and xx. 91,
as fragrant and growing near water, its branches pulled and cultivated: M. crispa is described by
Rivinus mon.pl. 50; is termed “ m. rotundifolia crispa sp icata” by Tournefort inst. 189; and is
known to grow near water in Italy, France, and middle Europe (Linn,, Pers., and Dec.).
it/£«//zíT o f Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Resembling and sometimes
confounded with the preceding, called in Greece “ agriöethuösmös ” (Sibth.), and possibly the
“ minthë ” of Hipponax, — and Theophrastus : the “ agrión ëthuôsmôn ” is described by Dioscorides
iii. 36 as larger every way than the “ sisumvriôu ” with the leaves more hairy and a ranker odour:
M. rotundifolia was observed by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, frequent in abandoned gardens and among
ruins from Crete and the Peloponnesus to the Bithynian Olympus ; is enumerated by CIot-Bey and
Figari as only recently introduced into Egypt. Westward, is termed “ m. sylvestris rotundiore folio ”
by Tournefort inst. [89; was observed by Forskal near Marseilles; and is known to grow in wet
places and along roadsides as far as Britain (Engl. bot. pl. 446, Lam. fl. fr., and Pers.). Is one of
the species enumerated by Lindley as having “ been in repute as stomachics and emmenagogues.”
(See M. arvensis, and M. aquatica).
“ 538 B. C.” ( . . . Blair, and Clint.), capture of Babylon by the Medes and Persians under
Cyrus ; and Babylonian independence overthrown, (The same date, probably marking the same
event, occurs in the Egyptian Chronicle = 715 — “ 177 years ; ” and nearly the same, in the Afr.-
Maneth. table, 1072 y . 2 mo. — “ 130 — 120 — 89 — 6 — 40 — 7 — 6 — 8 — 54 — 6 — 6 — 19
— 44 ” = 537 y . 2 mo. = 339 + “ 4 + 3 + 2 + 38 + 20 y. 4 mo. + 6 + 124 y . 4 mo. + o y . 6
months ” ).
Euphorbia antiquorum of Tropical Arabia and Hindustan. Cactiform, called by the Arabs
“ sh rfth ” (Sp ren g), in Yemen “ k e r f ” or “ kælah” or “ gholak ” (Forsk,), in Hindustanee “ seyard ”
or “ narashij,” in Bengalee “ narsij,” in Telinga “ bontaqammoodoo,” in Tamil “ shadray kullie ”
(Drur.) ; and the A T S srphth of the later Isaian prophecies Iv. 15 — is referred here by Sprengel :
al.so the “ kaulos ” with stout spines and copious fig-like juice observed by Aristobulus (Arr. exp. vi.
22), or leafless “ akanthan ” growing in Gedrosia according to Theophrastus iv. 4. 13 ; the “ snuh ”
or “ snuhi ” or “ sud’h a ” or “ vajrakantaka ” or “ mahavriksha ” milk prescribed by Susrutas sutr.
36 to chikits. I, is referred here by Hessler: E. antiquorum was observed by Rheede ii. pi. 42 in
Malabar, the bark of the root bruised and taken as purgative ; by Graham, “ in gardens Bombay ”
and “ wild in the jungles about the falls of Gockauk, Southern Mahratta country ; ” by Buchanan,
and Roxburgh, and Royle, in other parts of Hindustan; by Drury, “ common in waste places in the
peninsula,” and the juice employed by the natives for various medicinal purposes. Westward, was
observed by Forskal p. 93 in Tropical Arabia, cooked in pits and given to camels ; and as appears
from Persoon is known even in Egypt.
“ 537 B. C. = 8th year of King-wang” (Chinese chron. table), beginning of the Thirty-sixth
cycle.
“ 536 B. C.” ( . . . and C. Mull, geogr. min. i. p. xx), the island of Corsica abandoned by the
Phocaean Greeks ; yielding naval dominion over the Western portion of the Mediterranean to the
Carthaginians.
Scilla maritima o f Egypt and the Mediterranean countries. The squ ill is called in Greece
“ skilla ” or “ vôlkikôs ” (Sibth,), in Egypt “ basal el-far ” or “ askyl ” (Del.) ; in which we recognize
EKIAAA of Theognis 537, — Pythagoras, Cratinus, Diphilus, Theophrastus i. 6, Theocritus, Dioscorides,
and Clemens Alexandrinus; and the “ is k il” of Avicenna: S. maritima was observed by Sibthorp,
Chaubard, and Eraas, abounding in Greece and on the Greek islands ; by Delile, on the
Mediterranean border of Egypt. Westward, the ‘.‘ sc illa ” or “ sc y lla ” or “ sq u illa ” is mentioned by
Varrò, Virgil, Celsus, Columella, Ausonius, Apuleius 42, and by Pliny xix. 30 as growing also on
the Balearic Islands and in Spain ; S. maritima is described by Anguillara p. 120, and Tournefort
inst. 381 ; was observed by Desfontaines i. p. 297 in Barbary ; and is known to grow in Sicily, Spain,
and Portugal (Pers., and Spreng.). Preparations from the bulbous root continue to be much used
medicinally.
Spartium {Calycotome') villosum of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Greece “ xulag-
katha” (Fraas) or “ aspalatos ” or “ aspalathëia ” (Sibth .); and the ASPAAAOOi : TA PH S IA ' of
Theognis — may be compared : “ aspalathôus ” are mentioned by Pherecrates (Athen. xv. p. 685),
and Theocritus iv. 57: the “ mëlaina r iz a ” of 2 Mul. morb. 660 is identified by Galen with the
“ aspalathôn arômatikôn : ” the “ aspalathôs ” is described by Dioscorides as a woody and thorny
shrub, growing in Syria as well as on Nisyrus, Rhodes, and other Greek islands, and employed for
thickening ointment ; and in the added Synonyms, the “ aspalathôs ” or “ ërusiskëptrôn ” or “ sphag-
nôn” or “ phasganon” is identified with the “ thiaxulon ” of the Syrians: S. villosum is termed
“ cytisus spinosus creticus siliqua villis densissimis longissimis et incanis obducta” by Tournefort
cor. 44; was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard, and Fraas, from the Peloponnesus throughout Greece
and the Greek islands. Westward, the account by Pliny xxiv. 69 of the “ frutex humilior ” growing
on Nisyrus and Rhodes, and called “ erysisceptrum ” or “ adipsatlieon ” or “ diacheton,” seems in
great part taken from Dioscorides: S. villosum was observed by Desfontaines ii. 135 in Barbary
(Pers.), and was received by Sprengel from Corsica and the vicinity of Naples. (See Myrica
sapida).
Genista hórrida of the Mediterranean countries. Also called in Greece “ xulagkatha” (Fraas) ;
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