The ostrys (hop-hornbeam),[1] which some call ostrya, has also but one kind; it is like the beech in growth and bark its leaves are in shape like a pear's, except that they are much longer, come to a sharp point, are larger, and have many fibres, which branch out like ribs from a large straight one[2] in the middle, and are thick also the leaves are wrinkled along the fibres and have a finely serrated edge; the wood is hard colourless and whitish; the fruit is small oblong and yellow like barley; it has shallow roots; it loves water and is found in ravines. It is said to be unlucky to bring it into the house, since, wherever it is, it is supposed to cause a painful death[3] or painful labour in giving birth.
[4]The lime has both 'male' and 'female' forms, which differ in their general appearance, in that of the wood, and in being respectively fruit-bearing and sterile. The wood of the 'male' tree is hard yellow more branched closer, and also more fragrant[5]; that of the 'female' is whiter. The bark of the 'male' is thicker, and, when stripped off, is unbending because of its hardness; that of the 'female' is thinner[6] and flexible; men make their writing-cases[7] out of it. The 'male' has neither fruit nor flower, but the 'female' has both flower and fruit; the flower is cup-shaped, and appears alongside of the stalk of the leaf, or alongside of next year's
- ↑ cf. 1. 8. 2 (ὀστρυίς), 3. 3. 1; C.P. 5. 12. 9 (ὀστρύη); Plin. 13. 117.
- ↑ μέσης … κατατεινουσῶν conj. Sch.; μέσης πλευροειδῶς τῶν ἄλλων εὐθειῶν καὶ μεγάλην κατατεινουσῶν Ald.cf. 1. 10. 2; 3. 17. 3.
- ↑ δυσθανατεῖν I conj.; δυσθάνατον P2Ald.; δυσθανατᾶν conj. Sch., but δυσθανατᾶν has a desiderative sense.
- ↑ Plin. 16. 65.
- ↑ ἔτι δ᾽ εὐωδ. inserted here by Sch.; cf. Plin., l.c. In Ald. the words, with the addition τὸ τῆς θηλείας, occur after ποιοῦσιν.
- ↑ λεπτότερος conj. Sch.; λευκότερος Ald.
- ↑ cf. 3. 13. 1; Ar. Vesp. 529.
