Colubrina
Colubrina dracontea ut Dyascorides suo capitulo Macer idem.
Apparatus:
Colubrina ABC efp | Colũbrina j
dracontea | dragontea ef
suo capitulo | c. s. AC
Translation:
Colubrina is a name for dracontea, which is described in Dyascorides in the appropriate chapter. The same is true for Macer.
Commentary:
Colubrina:
Latin colubrina {sc. herba} is the feminine form of colubrinus "snake-like" < coluber {"snake"}. For the naming motive see Macer and botanical identification below.
dracontea:
For Dioscorides’ account see Dragontea.
This is from Macer Floridus, De viribus herbarum, chapter LIV. COLUBRINA, where in verses 1728-1730 [[1]] it says:
1728: Herba, Dragonteam Graecorum quam vocat usus,
1729: Haec eadem vulgi lingua Colubrina vocatur,
1730 Quod colubro similis maculoso cortice surgit ….
"The herb which Greek linguistic usage calls Dragontea, // this same herb is called Colubrina in the language of the people,// it sprouts up {looking} similar to a coluber {"snake"} with speckled skin …"
Botanical identification:
According to André (1985: 72) s.v. colubrīna this is Arum dracunculus L. {syn. of Dracunculus vulgaris Schott} [[2]]. He calls it a ”plante tachetée comme une couleuvre” {i.e. ‘a plant speckled like a snake’} [[3]].
WilfGunther 15:51, 23 October 2014 (BST)