THEOPHRASTUS

ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS

I. Concerning trees and shrubs we have spoken before; it remains to speak of the under-shrubs and herbaceous plants, and of any other natural classes that are included within these; for instance, the cereal class is herbaceous.

Let us speak first of the under-shrubs; for this class is closer to those previously mentioned because it is woody. Now, in all cases, the wild is perhaps always more abundant than the cultivated, but if not in all, at least in the case of the under-shrubby substance; for its cultivated kinds are few, which are almost entirely among the coronary plants, such as the rose, violet, wallflower, marjoram, and day-lily, and further, the savory, catmint, elecampane, and southernwood. For all these are woody and small-leaved, 2 and for this reason they are also under-shrubs. And in the case of pot-herbs also—