THEOPHRASTUS

ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS

BOOK VI

Of the classification of under-shrubs: the wild kinds: the chief distinction that between spinous and spineless.

I. WE have spoken already of trees and shrubs, and next we must speak of under-shrubs and herbaceous plants and of any other natural classes which are included with these; for instance, cereals come under herbaceous plants.
But first let us tell of under-shrubs, for this class comes near those mentioned above because of its woody character. Now it may be said that with all plants the wild kinds are more abundant than the cultivated, and this is certainly true of the under-shrubs. For the cultivated kinds of this class^1 are not numerous, and consist almost entirely of coronary plants, as rose gilliflower carnation sweet marjoram martagon lily, to which may be added tufted thyme bergamot-mint calamint southernwood. For all these are woody and have small leaves; wherefore^2 they are classed as under-shrubs. This class covers