Theophrasti De Historia Plantarum (1483 Incunabulum)

For "more" and "less" are nothing but excesses and defects. Yet, the arrangement is not constant: for example, some bear fruit beneath their leaves, others above their leaves. And of the trees themselves, some bear fruit at the peak, while others, such as the morus aegyptia Egyptian mulberry, bear it on the side of the trunk. Some, such as the arachidna a ground-nut/vetch and that which the Egyptians call iungum a type of rush, bear fruit beneath the earth. Likewise, if some have a stalk original: "pediculum" and others lack one, the same must be said of their flowers; for some grow around the fruit itself, while others grow elsewhere. Regarding the highest position, the account of the arrangement must be accepted in these matters, both in the leaves and in the buds. Furthermore, some things seem to differ in order. In some, the branches are disorderly, as in the oak; in others, they are ordered, as in the fir—both responding to one another with a wonderful order. In some, there are even very large branches that are ordered and equal in number, as in those with three nodes. For which reasons it is necessary to grasp these differences in these things, by which the entire form in individuals can be perfected. But if we have first pursued them in number, we must now attempt to report on the parts themselves individually. The primary and most common parts of most are the root, the stem, the branch, and the shoot. One can divide them by these parts, just as in the genus of animals; for each is unlike the other, and it is necessary that the whole be composed of all of these. The root is that by which nourishment is drawn. The stem is that into which the nourishment is carried. For I call a "stem" that which rises simply above the ground. This is equally common to annuals and perennials. In the genus of trees, we are accustomed to call this a "trunk." Branches are so called because they are split from the stem and spread out in multiple ways; some call these "nodes." A "shoot" is that which arises from these individually and simply, such as the annual growth original: "germine annotinum" appears to be. But these are more appropriate to the genus of trees. The stem, however, as has been said, is considered more common. Yet not even all things seem to possess it, as some herbaceous plants have one, but not a permanent one—rather, only a seasonal one, such as those that live with perennial roots. In total, the plant is a varied and manifold thing, and it is difficult to speak of it in general. Truly, the judgment is that there is nothing at all that can be accepted as common and fitting to all plants, as there is in animals—the mouth, the stomach, and other things by the same proportion, or others by another mode. For not all plants seem to have a root, nor a stem, nor a branch, nor a bud, nor a leaf, nor a flower, nor a fruit. Again, a bark, or pith, or nerve, or vein is not in all, as is evident in the genus of fungi and tubers. By these things and similar ones, the nature of plants consists. But these, as has already been said, are especially of trees, and this partition is more conveniently accommodated to them, to which it is also appropriate to reduce the rest. Furthermore, these almost express and declare all other forms. For they differ in their multitude and paucity, density and rarity, and also in that they proceed simply or are split into many. As for the other parts which we have mentioned, none consists of similar particles. I say "similar particles" because any part of the root or trunk consists of the same things. But, as is more acceptable, let "trunk" by no means be called a part, but rather a part of the trunk—just as in the limbs of animals. For every part of the shin or forearm consists of the same things, but not those which are called by the same name, such as flesh or bone.