Parts of the Treatise on Plants

A botanical illustration of the plant Peplos (Euphorbia peplus). It features multiple branching green stems radiating from a central point, adorned with small, rounded, oval green leaves. The root system is depicted on the right as a dark, fibrous, brush-like structure.

Some people call it Aphrodite’s fig original: su‘n afrūdīs; likely a corruption of the Greek sykon aphroditēs and others call it cypress-like original: qū pībūs; likely a corruption of the Greek kyparissias. It is a small plant full of milky sap original: laban and has small leaves that resemble the leaves of rue original: al-sadhāb, except that they are broader. The umbel umbel original: al-ḥumma; a cluster of flowers or leaves where the stalks spread from a common center like an umbrella of this plant is round and spreads flat
extended

upon the ground. In this umbel, there are about sixteen leaves arranged in a circle, which are smaller than the rest of the foliage lower down, and are white. This plant produces many seeds and has a single root that is not used for medical purposes.

The entire plant emerges from this root. It grows in gardens and around the base of grapevines. It is gathered during the harvest season and dried in the shade, being turned over constantly. As for its fruit original: thamarihi; referring to the seeds, it is crushed, dried, and then stored.

When a quantity of one oxybaphon oxybaphon original: aksībafan; an ancient Greek unit of volume, roughly 68 milliliters or 1/8 of a pint is drunk with the drink called hydromel hydromel original: adrūmul; a medicinal mixture of honey and water, it purges phlegm and bile. It may also be mixed into a decoction original: al-ṭabīkh; a cooked medicinal preparation, and if eaten, it acts as a laxative. It is also sometimes prepared with water and salt.