other black resinous gall. Again it has another growth, like a mulberry in shape, but hard and difficult to break; this however is not common. It has also another growth like the penis in shape, which, when it is further developed, makes a hard prominence and has a hole through it. This to a certain extent resembles also a bull's head, but, when split open, it contains inside a thing shaped like the stone of an olive.[1] The oak also produces what some call the 'ball'; this is a soft woolly spherical object enclosing a small stone which is harder,[2] and men use it for their lamps for it burns well, as does the black gall. The oak also produces another hairy ball, which is generally useless, but in the spring season it is covered with a juice which is like honey both to touch and taste.
[3]Further the oak produces right inside the axil[4] of the branches another ball with no stalk or else[5] a hollow one; this is peculiar and of various colours: for the knobs which arise on it are whitish or black and spotted,[6] while the part between these is brilliant scarlet; but, when it is opened, it is black and rotten.[7] It also occasionally produces a small stone which more or less resembles pumice-stone; also, less commonly, there is a leaf-like ball, which is oblong and of close texture. Further the oak produces on the rib of the leaf a white transparent ball, which is watery, when it is young; and this sometimes con-
- ↑ πυρῆνος ἐλάας ἰσοφυὲς conj. W.; πυρῆνος ἐλαίᾳ εἰρονφυην UMV; πυρῆνα ἐλαία εἰρουφύην
- ↑ περὶ πυρήνιον σκληρότερον I conj.; περὶ πυρηνίου σκληρότητα U; περὶ πυρηνίου σκληρότερον M; περιπυρηνίου σκληρότερον VAld. W. prints the reading of U. For πῖλος see Index.
- ↑ Plin. 16. 29.
- ↑ ἐνδοτέρω … μασχαλίδος conj. R. Const.; ἐντεριώνης τῶν ῥοπῶν μασχαλίδας UAld. Plin., l.c., gignunt et alae ramorum eius pilulas.
- ↑ ἢ ins. St.
- ↑ Plin., l.c., nigra varietate dispersa.
- ↑ ἐπίσαπρον; Plin., l.c., has apertis amara inanitas est, whence ἐπίπικρον conj. Sch.
