Rodoram

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Rodoram vocant galli herbam que nascitur iuxta rodotinum arborem inter arbusta caulem habet virge ficulnee modo geniculatum folia urtice in medio exalbida eadem procedente tempore tota rubentia florem argenteum et cetera Plinius.


Apparatus:

Rodoram ABC ef | rodarum Pliny

galli AC ef | gali B

rodotinum ABC ef | rumpotinum Pliny

ficulnee modo geniculatum folia urtice om. f

rubentia (-bẽtia B) ABC | rubencia ef


Translation:

Rodora is what the Gauls call a plant, which grows among vineyards near the rodotinus {i.e. vine-supporting} tree. It has a knotted stalk like the branch of ficulnea {"fig-tree"}, the leaves of urtica {"nettle"}, they are whitish in the middle, and they all turn red as time goes by, and its flower is silvery.


Commentary:

Simon's entry is from Pliny, 24, 112, 172, ed. Rackham (1938-63: VII.122). Here is Pliny's account, which initially differs considerably from Simon's retelling: Rumpotinum arborem demonstravimus inter arbusta. iuxta hanc viduam vite nascitur herba quam Galli rodarum vocant – "We have described the rumpotinus {i.e. vine-supporting} tree when speaking of these trees. Beside it, when it does not support vines, grows a plant the Gauls call rodarum".

Botanical identification:

André (1985: 219) s.v. rōdarum says that it is generally identified with Filipendula ulmaria Maxim. syn. Spirea ulmaria L. "meadowsweet" [[1]], although Pliny's description does not fit the plant in all points.

WilfGunther 11:34, 11 August 2014 (BST)


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