Enquiry into Plants, Vol. 2

also pot-herbs, such as cabbage rue and others
like them. Of these it is perhaps more appropriate
to speak under their proper designation, that is,
when we come to make mention of coronary plants
and pot-herbs. Now let us first speak of the
wild kinds. Of these are several classes and sub-
divisions, which we must distinguish by the char-
acteristics of each sub-division as well as by those of
each class taken as a whole.¹
The most important difference distinguishing class
from class which one could find is that between the
spineless and the spinous kinds. Again under each
of these two heads there are many differences
distinguishing kinds and forms, of which we must
endeavour to speak severally.
² Of spinous kinds some just consist of spines, as
asparagus and skorpios; for these have no leaves
except their spines. Then there are the spinous-
leaved plants, as thistle eryngo safflower; these and
the like have their spines on the leaves, whence
their name. Others again have leaves as well as
their spines, as rest-harrow caltrop and pheos,³
which some call stoibe. Caltrop is also ⁴ spinous-fruited,
having spines on the fruit-vessel. Wherefore this
peculiarity marks it off from almost all other plants;
though many trees and shrubs have spines on the
shoots, as wild pear pomegranate Christ’s thorn
bramble rose caper. Such ⁵ are the general dis-
tinctions which may be made among spinous plants.