The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 4 (of 6)

Chapter 314: CHAP. 57.—THE CACTOS; THE PTERNIX, PAPPUS, AND ASCALIAS.

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

History - Ancient Science - Earth/Agricultural/Farming

About This Book

The text compiles practical and encyclopedic guidance on crop cultivation and plant uses, beginning with cereals and farm management — types of grain, sowing and harvesting schedules, ploughing, seed selection, storage, and maladies — plus weather and stellar prognostics for agricultural timing. It proceeds to flax and garden plants, detailing varieties, planting and processing methods, garden layout, and pest and disease remedies. The final section assembles medicinal preparations and numerous remedies derived from vegetables and herbs, listing applications and recipes for treating ailments using garden-grown plants.

CHAP. 57.—THE CACTOS; THE PTERNIX, PAPPUS, AND ASCALIAS.

The cactos,2213 too, is a plant that grows only in Sicily, having peculiar characteristics of its own: the root throws out stalks which creep along the ground, the leaves being broad and thorny. The name given to these stalks is “cactos,” and they are not disliked as an article of food,2214 even when old. The plant, however, has one stem which grows upright, and is known by the name of “pternix;” it has the same sweet flavour as the other parts, though it will not keep. The seed of it is covered with a kind of down, known as “pappus:”2215 when this is removed, as well as the rind 2216 of the fruit, it is tender, and like the pith of the palm: the name given to it is “ascalias.”