PLANTS
155
PLANTS
is caused by fungi of the genus Uslilago, which, when
fully developed, with the aid of the khamsin wind,
"blast" the grain.
Millet, Heb. dokhan (Ezech., iv, 9), Arab, dokhn, is applied to Panicum miliaceum, and Setaria italica, Kth. The rendering "millet", in D. V., Is., xx\'iii, 25, is not justified, as Heb. nismayi, found here, means "put in its place".
Mint (Matt., xxiii, 23; Luke, xi, 42). Various species are found in Palestine: Mentha syhestr^, the horse-mint, with its variety M. viridis, the spear-mint, grow ever}T\-here ; .1/. saliva, the garden- mint,, is cultivated in all gardens; M. piperita, the peppermint, M. aquatica, the water-mint, M. pule- gium, the pennyroyal, are also found in abundance. Mint is not mentioned in the Law among tithable things, but the Pharisaic opinion subjecting to tithe all ed- ibles acquired force of law.
Mulberry, Heb. beka' im (A. V., II Kings, v, 23-4; I Par., xiv, 14-.5; D. V. "pear tree"), a tree, two species of which are cultivated in Palestine: Moras alba, M. nigra. Neither this nor pear-tree is a likely translation; the context rather suggests a tree the leaves of which rustle like the aspen, Populus tremula. In D. V. Luke, ;cvii, 6, "mulberry tree" is probably a good translation.
Mustard. Several kinds of mustard-plant grow in the Holy Land, either wild, as the charlock, Sinapis arvensis, and the white mustard, 5. alba, or cultivated, as S. nigra, which last seems the one intended in the Gospel. Our Lord compares the king- dom of God to a mustard seed (Matt., xiii, 31-2), a familiar term to mean the tiniest thing possible (cf. Talmud Jerus. Peah, 7; T. Babyl. Kethub., iiib), "which a man . . . sowed in his field" and which "when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs"; the mustard tree attains in Palestine a height of ten feet and is a favourite re-sort of linnets and finches.
Myrrh translates two Heb. words: (1) mor (cf. Arab, morr), the aromatic resin produced by Balsam- odendrmi myrrha, Nees, which grows in Arabia and subtropical east Africa, was extensively used among the ancients, not only as a perfume (Ex., xxx, 23; Ps. xliv, 9; Prov., vii, 17; Cant., i, 12; v, 5), but also for embalming (John, xix, 39) and as an anodjTie (Mark, xv, 23); (2) lot, see Ladanum.
Myrtle, Heb. hada.'i (Is., xU, 19; Iv, 13; Zach., i, 8, 10, 11), Myrtus communis, Arab, hadas, an ever- green shrub especially prized for its fragrant leaves, and found in great abundance in certain districts of Palestine. Its height is usually three to four feet, attaining to eight feet in moist soil, and a variety cul- tivated in Damascus reaches up ten to twelve feet; hence an erroneous translation in almost all the above Scriptural passages.
Nard, pistic (R. V. margin, Mark, xiv, 3). See Spikenard.
Nettles translates two Heb. words: (1) kharul, plur. kharulim (A. V., Job, xxx, 7; D. V. "briers"; Soph., ii, 9; Prov., xxiv, 31; D. V. "thorns"), see Bramble; (2) qimniosh, gimmeshonim (Prov., xxiv, 31; A. V. "thorns"; Is., xxxiv, 13; Osee, ix, 6): correctly ren- dered "nettles" (Urtica urem, U. dioica, U. pilulifera, U. membranacea, Poir.), which are found everywhere on neglected patches, whilst the deserts abound with Forskahlea tenacissima, a plant akin to the Vrtica.
Nut, equivalent of two Heb. words: (l)'egoz (Cant., vi, 10), Arab, jauz, the walnut tree, universally cul- tivated in the East; (2) hotnim (A. V., Gen., xliii, 11), probably the pistachio nut, Arab. butm. See Pis- tachio.
Oak, Heb. 'ayl, 'elah, 'elon, 'allah, 'allon are thus indiscriminately translated. From Osee iv, 13, and Is., yi, 13, it appears that the 'elah is different from the 'allon; in fact, 'ayl, 'elah, 'elon, are understood by some to be the terebinth 'ailah and 'allon
representing the oak. The genus Quercus is largely
represented in Palestine and Syria, as to the number
of indi\aduals and species, seven of which have been
found: (1) Quercus robur is represented by two
varieties: Q. cedrorum and Q. pinnatifida; (2) Q.
infectoria; (3) Q. ilex; (4) Q. coccifera, or holm
oak, of which there are three varieties: Q. calliprinos,
Q. palestina, and Q. pseudo-coccifera, this latter, a
prickly evergreen oak with leaves like very small
holly, most common in the land, especially as brush-
wood; (5) Q. cerris; (6) Q. cegylops, the Valonia
oak, also very common and of which two varieties
are known: Q. ithaburensis and Q. look, Ky. ; (7) Q.
libani, Oliv.
Oil tree, Heb. 'es shemen (Is., xli, 19; III Kings, vi, 23, 31-3; II Esd., viii, 15), the ohve-tree in D. v., the oleaster in R. V., and variously rendered in A. v.: "oil tree", "olive tree" and "pine". To meet the requirements of the different passages where the 'es shemen is mentioned, it must be a fat tree, pro- ducing oil or resin, an emblem of fertility, capable of furnishing a block of wood out of which an image ten feet high may be car\'ed, it must grow in mountains near Jerusalem, and have a dense foliage. Wild olive, oleaster, Elceagnus angustifolius (Arab, haleph), Balanites eegyptiaca, Del. (Arab, zaqqum), are there- fore excluded; some kind of pine is probably meant.
Olive tree, Olea europwa, one of the most character- istic trees of the Mediterranean region, and universally cultivated in the Holy Land. Scriptural allusions to it are very numerous, and the ruins of oil-presses mani- fest the extensive use of its enormous produce: olives, the husbandman's only relish; oil which serves as food, medicine, unguent, and fuel for lamps; finally candles and soap. The olive tree was considered the symbol of fruitfukiess, blessing, and happiness, the emblem of peace and prosperity.
Olive, Wild (Rom., xi, 17, 24), not the oleaster, Eleeagnus angustifolia, common throughout Pales- tine, but the seedling of the olive, on which the Olea europaea is grafted.
Onion, Heb. begalim (Num., xi, 5), Allium cepa, universally cultivated and forming an important and favourite article of diet in the East.
Orache. See Mallows.
Palm tree, Heb. thamar (Ex., xv, 27), tomer (Judges, iv, 5), Phoenix dactylifera, the date palm. The palm tree flourishes now only in the maritime plain, but the Jordan Valley, Engaddi, Mount Olivet, and many other localities were renowned in antiquity for their palm groves. In fact, the abundance of palm trees in certain places suggested their names: Phce- nicia (from Greek ^oinf), Engaddi, formerly named Hazazon Thamar, i. e., "Palm grove", Jericho, sur- named "the City of Palm trees", Bethany, "the house of dates", are among the best known. Dates are a staple article of food among the Bedouins; un- like figs, they are not dried into compressed cakes, but separately; date wine was known throughout the East and is still made in a few places; date honey (Heb. debash; cf. Arab, dibs) has always been one of the favourite sweetmeats of the Orientals. There are many allusions in Scripture to palm trees, which are also prominent in architectural ornamentation (Heb. timmorah. III Kings, vi, 29).
Paper reed, Heb. aroth (A. V., Is., xix, 7) preferably rendered "the channel of the river" (D. V.), as the allusion seems to be to the meadows on the banks of the Nile.
Pear tree. See Mulberry.
Pen, in Ps. xliv, 2 (A. V., xiv, 1); Jer., viii, 8, is probably the stalk of Arundo donax, which the ancients used for writing, as do also the modern Orientals.
Pennyroyal. See Mint.
Peppermint. See Mint.
Pine tree translates the Heb. words: (1) 'oren (Is., xliv, 14; A. V. "ash", possibly Pinus pinea; (2)
