13. Chap. 13.-Indian Trees, The Names Of Which Are Unknown. Indian Trees Which Bear Flax.

CHAP. 13.—INDIAN TREES, THE NAMES OF WHICH ARE UNKNOWN. INDIAN TREES WHICH BEAR FLAX.

The Macedonians[1] have made mention of various other kinds of trees, the greater part of which, however, are without names. There is one which resembles the terebinth[2] in every respect, except the fruit, which is very similar to the almond, though less in size, and remarkable for its extreme sweetness. This tree was met with in Bactria, and some persons looked upon it as a variety of the terebinth, rather than as bearing a strong resemblance to it. As to the tree from which they manufacture a kind of linen[3] cloth, in leaf it resembles the mulberry-tree, while the calix of the fruit is similar to the dog-rose.[4] This tree is reared in the plains, and there is no sight throughout the cultivated parts of the country that is more enchanting than the plantations of it.

1. See Theophrastus, B. iv. c. 5.

2. Dalechamps and Desfontaines are of opinion, that the pistachio, or Pistacia terebinthus of Linnæus, is here alluded to; but Fée considers that there are no indications to lead to such a conclusion.

3. It is not improbable that he may here allude to the cotton-tree, of which further mention is made in c. xxi. of the present Book.

4. Fée is of opinion that Cynorrhodon here means, not the dog-rose, but the gall which is formed on the tree by the sting of the Cynips bedeguar.