The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 3 (of 6)

Chapter 226: CHAP. 41.—THE COCCYGIA; THE APHARCE.

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The work assembles systematic observations on animals, insects, and trees, combining natural history with practical notes. It surveys insect forms and habits, including bees, silk‑producing worms, spiders, and parasitic species, and discusses reproduction, classification, diseases, and useful products like honey and silk. It then examines animal anatomy in detail, limb by limb and organ by organ, comparing organs, vital functions, and bodily peculiarities across species. Later sections catalogue trees and exotic plants, describing aromatic gums, spices, frankincense, myrrh, and methods for producing and testing unguents and perfumes, and noting their uses and regions of origin.

CHAP. 41.—THE COCCYGIA; THE APHARCE.

Similar, too, in leaf to the preceding tree, is the coccygia,979 though not so large; it has this peculiarity, that it loses its fruit while still in the downy 980 state—they then call it “pappus”—a thing that happens to no other tree. The apharce 981 is another tree that is similar to the andrachle, and like it, bears twice in the year: just as the grape is beginning to flower the first fruit is ripening, while the second fruit ripens at the commencement of winter; of what nature this fruit is we do not find stated.