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CHAP. 88.—THE LONCHITIS : FOUR REMEDIES.

The lonchitis 1 is not, as most writers have imagined, the same plant as the xiphion2 or phasganion, although the seed of it does bear a resemblance to the point of a spear. The lonchitis, in fact, has leaves like those of the leek, of a reddish colour near the root, and more numerous there than on the upper part of the stem. It bears diminutive heads, which are very similar to our masks of comedy, and from which a small tongue protrudes:3 the roots of it are remarkably long. It grows in thirsty, arid soils.

1 Generally identified with the Serapias lingua of Linnæus.

2 The same, most probably, as the Gladiolus of B. xxi. c. 67. See also the next Chapter in this Book.

3 This was a characteristic feature of the masks used in the Roman Comedy.

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