Aegilops in botanical treatises of Theophrastus

Parkhaeva Mariya Lecturer; Department of Classical Philology; Moscow State Linguistic University 115516, Russia, Moscow, Bakinskaya str., 29, sq. 92 masha1512@mail.ru

Introduction

In the botanical treatises "The History of Plants" and "On the causes of plants", Theophrastus, a Greek scientist of the IV century BC, talks about many different types of plants: he describes in detail their structure, features, and use. One of the aspects of interest to classical philology is the botanical nomenclature. For lexicology, its study is important insofar as it allows us to understand what kind of plant we are talking about, how to translate this or that ancient name. It is also interesting what linguistic means were used in antiquity to create botanical terminology and, in particular, plant names. Obviously, etymology plays an important role in their study. This work is devoted to the study of the lexeme αἰγίλωψ (egilops): we will try to find out what its meaning (or meanings) is, how this name is formed, how common it is and what difficulties the researcher of Theophrastus faces when describing this plant.

1. The token αἰγίλωψ

The word αἰγίλωψ is ambiguous: all researchers and dictionary authors agree that it can mean, firstly, one of the species of oak, secondly, a herbaceous plant of the Cereal family and, thirdly, a certain ulcer in the eye. In Theophrastus, it is used only in the first two meanings: five times as the name of an oak and fourteen times as the name of a grain. In the treatise "On the causes of plants" αἰγίλωψ refers exclusively to a cereal plant. Note that the standard dictionary form of the word – ὁ αἰγίλωψ, αἰγίλωπος.

Many researchers miss another possible meaning of αἰγίλωψ: a bulbous plant. It does not occur in Theophrastus. Only Pliny the Elder has it. Here is a quote: "reliqua genera bulborum differunt colore, magnitudine, suavitate, quippe cum quidam crudi mandantur... genera Graeci haec fecere: bolbinen, setanion, opitiona, cyica, aegilopa..." (19.95). The context of the list of incomprehensible and sometimes untranslatable names without any description does not allow us to determine which bulbous plant we are talking about.

2. Other contexts with the lexeme under study

Before Theophrastus, the studied lexeme was not found anywhere, which is confirmed by Hindenlang ^{[1, p. 175]}. The earliest mention of αἰγίλωψ after Theophrastus is found in Philo of Byzantium (Philo the Mechanic), III century BC. He writes that egilops is a good food and cures dysentery (Pολιορκητικά, 89.47). It is not clear exactly which plant is meant. As you know, acorns from some oak species are edible. The genus Aegilops is the closest relative of wheat, these cereals are crossed among themselves, so it may well be a herbaceous plant. On the other hand, it can also be an edible onion.

Further, the lexeme under study is found in the poem by Nikander Kolofonsky – "ΘΗριακά" (II century BC). It is noteworthy that here we are faced with a vowel "o" in the basis of the studied words: "ἄμμιγα δ' αἰγίλοπός χελιδονίου τε τε πέτηλα " (Nicander, Theriaca, 857). Non-standard form is used also Oribase and shaliach to Nikandru: "αἰγίλοπας καὶ ἀλωπεκίας ἰᾶται" (Oribas., Libri ad Eunapium, 2.1 α, 10 – medical value), "αἰγίλοπος· βοτάνη ἐστὶ ἡ αἰγίλωψ" (Schol. Nic. 857а). Perhaps Nikander Kolofonsky allowed the replacement of "ω" with "o" metri causa, otherwise the word would simply not fit into the hexameter, and subsequently this variant migrated to Oribasia and, of course, to the scholia. Unfortunately, from the above contexts it is hardly possible to understand which plant we are talking about.

In Galen (II century AD), in addition to the disease, egilops occurs several times in the meaning of "cereal plant": in the treatises "De alimentorum facultatibus" (6.552; 6.516) and "De simplicium medicamentorum temperamentis ac facultatibus" (11.815). Dioscorides in De materia medica (1st century AD) also describes aegilops as a cereal plant compared to wheat (4.137). This work is valuable because the author, among other things, lists the names of the described species known to him. For Aegilops Dioscorides gives the following synonyms: αἰγιλάδη, σιτόσπελλος, ἀκρόσπελλος, σιφών (or σιφώνιον), βρόμος, ἀβήνα, γυμμάθ. He does not mention that the oak tree can also be called that way. In the Euporista vel De simplicibus medicinis, Dioscorides describes a kind of painkiller made from barley flour, an "evergreen plant" (ἀείζωον) or aegilops (1.228.2). Obviously, it should have been clear to the reader what kind of plants they were. Later authors, apparently, did not really understand what egilops was. For example, in the lexicon of Hesychius of Alexandria (V-VI centuries AD) it is said that this is a certain (τις) ear-like plant (A1717). ἘΤυμολογικὸΝ ΜέΓα (XII century A.D.) reports that it is just some kind of grass (28). And in the scholia to the idylls of Theocritus, interesting information is provided: It comments on the word "φαγοί" – oaks (9.20) and lists six types of oaks, including φηγός and αἰγίλωψ (9.20/21a.1). Perhaps the commentator was familiar with the writings of Theophrastus, who says that there are many oaks, some distinguish four, some five species, sometimes the same species has different names (Hist.plant. III, 8.2).

In Latin-language literature, Aegilops is described only in Pliny the Elder's Natural History. In addition to oak (16, 6, 13) and cereals (18.155; 26.130), this name is also mentioned in the list of bulbous plants (19.95). He is the only author in whose writings all three meanings of aegilops as a botanical term are found.

3. Egilops is a type of cereal

B. Einarson and J. Link, publishers and translators of the "Causes of Plants", use the word havergrass as the English equivalent for αἰγίλωψ ^[2]: however, this is not a botanical term, but a general designation for "wild oats", i.e. simply a cereal plant. A. Hort in the "History of Plants" this name is not translates by giving the transliterated form – aigilops. In the index of plants of his edition, Aegilops ovata – Aegilops ovalis is correlated with this name ^{[3, p. 438]}. M. E. Sergeenko, the publisher of the Russian translation of The History of Plants, holds the same opinion and translates αἰγίλωψ as egilops ovalis or simply egilops ^[4].

The publishers of etymological dictionaries, for example, Chantren ^{[5, p. 30]}, also identify Theophrastus aegilops with the oval Aegilops, referring to Stremberg. Just in case, let's clarify that some subspecies of this species were previously distinguished, now referred to as Aegilops three-inch, Aegilops triuncialis L. It is interesting to note that Fasmer, calling the Slavic names of oats and the Latin "avena" related, considers them to originate, perhaps, from *avigsnā and brings them closer to the Greek αἰγίλωψ ^[6].

This name probably consists of two elements, and the first one contains the root -αἰγ-. Sergeenko says its etymology is this: there is unknown to us herbaceous plant αἴγιλος that I love goats (αἶγες), element-ωψ means that this plant looks like a αἴγιλος ^{[4, p. 587]}. This explanation probably developed in antiquity, because αἴγιλος is mentioned in Theocritus and in the scholia it is explained that these are shrubs, θάμνοι, among which goats graze.

R. Bekes translates the same idea (with reference to Stremberg), considering it "absolutely correct" ^{[7, p. 32]}. He does not say anything about the root αἰγ, but Chantren writes about it quite clearly ^{[5, p. 30]}. Frisk calls αἴγιλος "Ziegenpflanze" – "goat grass".

Oddly enough, Theophrastus does not have αἴγιλος. This may be explained by the fact that αἴγιλος and αἰγίλωψ denote the same plant, i.e. they are synonyms. Frisk holds this opinion ^{[8, p. 32]}. Montanari believes the same ^{[9, p. 47]}. Probably, this is actually the same "goat grass", and either this animal loves this plant very much (egilops is a good forage plant), or the animal is compared with it. However, it cannot be excluded that αἴγιλος is a similar species that Theophrastus, for some reason, did not describe.

Of course, one can doubt that there is a root associated with a goat in the names. This may be a "folk etymology". On the other hand, there are other examples of similar plant names in ancient Greek: ὀνό-πυξος, τραγ-άκανθα. In Russian, there are also names that are strangely compared with animals (goose onion) and including goat (goat willow, legume plant goat, mushroom goat).

4. Egilops is a kind of oak

Most of the difficulties are caused by αἰγίλωψ in the meaning of "oak". First, researchers disagree about which plant Theophrastus describes.

There is a Latin name – Quercus aegilops. In modern botany, it is a synonym for the name of a subspecies of Tavor Oak – Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis. None of the researchers associate Quercus aegilops with Theophrastus aegilops. Apparently, the ancient scientist described this type of oak, but he called it φηγός. The fact is that Carl Linnaeus and the "fathers of botany" quite often drew names for biological species from the works of ancient writers, but the name they used did not always correspond to what the Greeks and Romans understood by it.

Wanting to somehow distinguish the two aegilops, M. E. Sergeenko translates the name of the oak in Latin - aigilops, however, it does not appear in her index of plant names. In the notes to the third book of the History of Plants, she reports that, based on a number of signs, it can be assumed that Theophrastus is either Quercus pedunculata (in modern taxonomy it is a petiolate Oak, Quercus robur L.), or Quercus sessiliflora (aka Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) – a rocky oak ^{[4, pp. 398-399]}. A. Hort, also based on the external signs of the plant, believes that Theophrastus describes Quercus Cerris (Austrian Oak, aka Turkish Oak) ^{[3, p. 438]}. Other researchers believe that αἰγίλωψ is still Quercus robur L. ^{[10, p. 30]}.

Secondly, most scientists are inclined to believe that egilops in the first and second meanings are homonyms with different etymologies, and the etymology of egilops–oak is not at all obvious. Frisk writes that the first part of the lexeme under study is the same as in the words αἴγειρος (black poplar) and αἰγανέη (spear, dart), in the last word he highlights the root *aik- ^{[8, pp. 30-31]}. Bekes considers this idea questionable, but also identifies the Indo-European root *aik- ^{[7, p. 32]}, denoting a large tree, as in German Eiche (oak) or Latin aesculus (oak, chestnut). It is noteworthy that we are talking about very different trees. We see similar remarks in the article on αἰγανέη in Boisak. But he brings together the aegilops oak and αἰγανέη through the root *aig- with the words αἴγλη (shine, torch) and αἰγίς (storm) ^{[11, pp. 20-21]}.

Ivanov and Gamkrelidze also correlate the name under study with the proto-Indo-European root *aik-, which replaces the original name of the oak. Their remark is valuable that the name of the oak was tabooed in a number of Indo-European dialects by replacing it with words whose etymology is sometimes unclear nowadays. ^{[12, pp. 617-619]}.

Frisk and Bekes report that the second part of the lexeme can be associated with the word λώπη – cloak or shell, peel. Arguing their position, scientists refer to the opinion of Kretschmer, who cites as a parallel to Theophrastus a quote from Pliny's "Natural History": "aegilops fert pannos arentes ... non in cortice modo, verum et e ramis dependentes" (16, 6, 13). The fact is that Theophrastus himself writes that something resembling light rags, which some call moss, often grows on aegilops (Hist.plant. III, VIII.6). It turns out that egilops literally means: a kind of "tree in a cloak" or "clothed tree". This variant of etymology is the most common.

Metaphorical names are found quite often in Theophrastus ^[13]. Despite this, a number of reservations should be made here. The fact that the names of plants, which is a composite, root word, indicating some kind of plant that usually is in second place: ἐτυμό-δρυς, ἱππο-σέλινον, κοκκυ-μηλέα, κυνό-ρροδον, θηλυ-κράνεια. In this regard, αἰγίλωψ with the assumed root *aik- looks rather unusual. It is also unusual that λώπη is a Homeric word, for prose the derivative λώπιον (clothing) is more characteristic. In addition, it turns out that none of the proposed etymologies can be reliably associated with another meaning of the word – "bulbous plant".

The described meaning with reference to Pliny is indicated in Montanari ^{[9, p. 47]} and in the Oxford Dictionary of the Latin Language ^{[14, p. 62]}. Unfortunately, this aegilops is not considered in any of the etymological dictionaries. Of course, this is a Greek name, as mentioned by Pliny himself, and its origin should be related to the aegilops described above. In this case, we have two ways. The first is to "attribute" the etymology of the bulbous to the cereal or to the oak. Second, it seems quite likely to derive a common etymology for all three plants.

5. Another possible etymology

One should not neglect the opportunity to link the etymology of the oak αἰγίλωψ with the root αἰγ- (goat), as in the case of cereals, although such an idea looks much less sophisticated. Dvoretsky considers the element αἰγι- in compound words related to the root αἰγ- ^{[15, p. 46]}. However, in most cases the etymology of such words is obvious: for example, αἰγίπυρος – wheat, where goats like to graze.

It is worth noting that in the botanical treatises of Theophrastus, complex names of plants are quite common, the first element of which is the designation of an animal, for example: τραγο-πώγων (Tragopogon porrifolius L.), τραγ-άκανθα (Astragalus parnassi Boiss.), μυό-φονον (Aconitum anthora L., 1753.), κύν-ωψ (Plantago lanceolata L., 1753.), etc. In total, Theophrastus has sixteen similar names, where exactly the animal is meant. As we can see, the first two examples even contain some kind of comparison with a goat. There are also simple names of plants that clearly indicate an animal: ὄρτυξ – quail (Plantago major L.), σπάλαξ – mole (Colchicum parnassicum Sart., Orph. & Heldr.). Of course, we do not always understand what the origin of a particular name is connected with. However, the existence of such names is beyond doubt. It is possible that our αἰγίλωψ-oak should be included in the same place.

Deducing the etymology of the aegilops cereal, the researchers start from the name αἴγιλος, since this explains the presence of lambda in αἰγίλωψ. After all, if this name corresponded to αἴξ, then it would have to look like "αἴγωψ", where the root is attached directly to another root, as, for example, in the word αἰγωπός - "with eyes like a goat". Usually this root joins with no false consonants: ἀμβλώψ – visually impaired (ἀμβλύς stupid, weak), γλαυκώψ – awooga (the epithet, occur in Pindar), κύκλωψ – Cyclops, Krupowki.

The existence of such words with obscure etymology, as αἰγίλωψ (meaning "oak"), θυμάλωψ – smut, ἀγχίλωψ swelling, plugging the tear duct (Galen), encourages Bekes to believe that they present pre-Greek suffix -λωψ ^{[7, p. 563]}. However, it is obvious that the word ἀγχίλωψ is associated with vision and eyes. By the way, it is a synonym for αἰγίλωψ in the medical sense. There is also a word vυκτάλωψ (nyctalopia, night vision), also associated with vision and, therefore, with the root -ωψ-.

Beckes does not give an exact etymology for the medical term αἱμάλωψ – "a place filled with blood", "similar to dried blood". But, as you know, the element -ωψ does not always literally mean "eyes" (after all, the word ὤψ itself has the meaning "appearance"), with its help, a comparison of appearance is often carried out. Therefore, it is quite possible to consider that αἱμάλωψ is something αἱμαλέον (bloody) in appearance. Argument in favor of this hypothesis is that, in the above-mentioned word θυμάλωψ frisk also highlights the item -ωψ and base ending in λ, comparing it with the base in words αἴθαλος, αἰθάλη ^{[8, p. 692]}. From this noun, in turn, the adjective αἰθαλώδης is formed - black as soot.

As we can see, quite often the following word formation system works in the ancient Greek language: name → name based on λ → name meaning "similar to the previous object". Thus, in the case of Agroprom we have the same chain: αἶξ → αἴγιλος → αἰγίλωψ.

Finally, it should be noted that other names of biological species are known, formed with the help of the element -ωψ: βόωψ – a certain fish with big eyes ^{[9, pp. 402, 392]}, κύνωψ – Plantain lanceolate, Plantago lanceolata. This name of the plantain, literally translated as "dog-eyed", "dog-like" or "canine", is found in Theophrastus himself. In botany, -ωψ stands out as a standard element of phytonyms, formations with it are used in modern nomenclature ^{[16, p. 265]}. But the element -λωψ is not fixed in the names. Moreover, following the logic of formation of complex of phytonyms in the treatises Feerasta, the second part was not supposed to undergo any change (cf ἀλωπέκ-ουρος – Polypogon monspeliensis, κεντρο-μυρρίνη – Ruscus aculeatus, φελλό-δρυς – Quercus Ilex), and the names of the oak would look like "αἰγιλώπη".

From all that has been said above, it follows that there could be one phytonym αἰγίλωψ with one etymology, which somehow correlated the plant with goats and was used to designate three different biological species. It should be borne in mind that Theophrastus, when describing plants, often relied on the information of farmers, carpenters, rhizotomes, so that, despite the scientific approach and an attempt to systematize knowledge about the world of flora, he uses folk names. And even our folk names now can sometimes point to completely different plants. For example, we call pepper and a liana of black Pepper (Piper nigrum), and a bush of Capsicum (Capsicum annuum), the fruits of both plants we also call pepper.

6. Is the same name a sign of external similarity?

Sometimes Theophrastus tells us why this or that plant is so named. Unfortunately, he does not comment on Egilops in any way. Sometimes he says that people use the same name for something similar plants. So, ancient travelers told about unusual trees growing in the sea, and called them olives and laurels (Hist.plant. IV, 7.2). Modern scientists have come to the conclusion that we are talking about mangroves.

Often, an existing name begins to be used to refer to another plant, if the latter is unprecedented, exotic. People naturally begin to compare it with familiar plants, as in the case of mangoes. Nevertheless, some names are used by Theophrastus to refer to completely different plants common in the Mediterranean, in Greece. For example, in Theophrastus, it is both a shrub of European Cornflower (Loranthus europaeus) and a thistle-like Atractylis gummifera (Atractylis gummifera). Both plants can be parasites and both contain a sticky juice from which bird glue can be made, which is probably why they got the same name. Metaphorical names derived from other names as a result of the transfer of meaning by similarity are not uncommon. Theophrastus has more than twenty ambiguous names indicating different plants. Of course, in most cases we are talking about species that are close and very similar to each other, but this is not always the case. In addition to the names already listed, we can recall another rather striking example. The name λωτός in ancient Greek may hide five different plants, which, as Hort writes, "have nothing in common but the name": Greek fenugreek, Trigonélla foenum-graecum, ziziphus, Ziziphus lotus, Strawberry clover, Trifolium fragiferum, Star lily, Nymphaea nouchali, and Southern Carcass, Celtis australis ^{[3, p. 462]}. In relation to each listed type of "lotus", scientists do not construct independent etymological series ^{[7, p. 884]}. In connection with all of the above, there are reasons to consider the possibility of polysemy of the word αἰγίλωψ: after all, it could happen that in ancient Greek the name of the cereal began to be used to describe a special type of oak or vice versa. Therefore, next we will consider the features of the morphology (appearance) of plants that can act as a denotation of the word αἰγίλωψ, and try to find out whether any of the oak species has some common feature with cereals that would allow transferring the name from one plant to another.

Aegilops ovalis is an annual herbaceous plant. Its spikelet scales have an oblong ovoid shape, which is why the plant got its name. The characteristic morphological features of this species are rudimentary spikelets and long awns of short, short-haired spikelets ^[17].

Moving on to the aegilops oak, let's first consider everything from the position of Hort, according to which Theophrastus describes Quercus Cerris. Firstly, the acorns of this oak are covered with peculiar scales. In their immature form, they are like fleecy balls. Secondly, the shoots of the Austrian Oak are covered with hairs having a characteristic star shape ^{[18, p. 280, 1059-1060]}.

If we accept the point of view of Sergeyenko, according to which Theophrastus describes Quercus sessiliflora (Quercus petraea), then we will also notice characteristic morphological features of this oak: the rocky oak is distinguished by rather long catkins ^{[18, p. 275, 1075-1076]}.

Perhaps Theophrastus aegilops is a petiolate Oak ^{[10, p. 30]}. Why then did Theophrastus, and after him Pliny the Elder, pay attention to his moss? After all, large moss, galls and parasitic plants grow on other types of oaks. His earrings are small. In addition, Theophrastus's petiolate oak is usually called the word δρῦς. If we assume that δρῦς is a common name for oaks, and αἰγίλωψ is exactly a petiolate Oak, then the question arises: why did late Antique authors forget the name of a typical representative of the broad–leaved forests of Europe? The fact is that in the southern parts of Greece, including Attica, Quercus robur is usually not found. Further, we note that Theophrastus writes that αἰγίλωψ has the bitterest acorns (Hist.plant. III, 8.2-3). This suggests that perhaps the Greek biologist Kostas Thanos is right, since the fruits of Quercus robur are also inedible because of the tannin they contain. Ancient authors could call moss, as Sergeenko suggests, the lichen Usnea articulata, which is very sensitive to ecology and grows only in damp places ^{[4, p. 399]}. The argument in favor of the fact that this is a lichen, and not catkins, may be the words of Theophrastus that it does not grow from the eyes and not from the same place as the acorn, but from the side of the branches (Hist.plant. III, 8.6). Why Theophrastus believes that this lichen grows only on this type of oak, it becomes clear if its host tree is precisely Quercus robur. After all, Theophrastus reports that αἰγίλωψ is the most slender, strong and tall tree that does not grow on cultivated land. This means that it is poorly adapted to the very hot and arid climate typical of the agricultural regions of Hellas.

It turns out that oak and cereal could get a common name due to the comparison of a) the ears of oval aegilops with scaly fruits and hairs of shoots of Austrian oak, b) the ears of aegilops with long, hanging grass-like catkins of rocky oak, c) lichen of usnea with grass blades. The following comparison is also possible: aegilops and acorns are almost not used by humans for food, but it is a good feed for livestock.

7. Once again about etymology

So, the inhabitants of ancient Greece noticed the similarity between the formations on cereal and oak and gave the plants the same names (as in the case of Ixia by Theophrastus). Probably, it should be recognized that there is a similar comparison in the case of a bulbous plant.

Next, you should figure out which plant was originally named αἰγίλωψ. It is hardly possible that three different species, as in the case of the "lotus", received the same name "goat plant" independently of each other. This is contrary to building up the chain αἶξ → αἴγιλος → αἰγίλωψ: αἴγιλος does not appear anywhere as synonymous with the names of the oak or bulbous.

Most often, a small object is compared with an already known large object and gets a name in part of the latter. A good example is such modern names as Mexican oak (Trichocoronis rivularis), oak (chrysanthemum), birch (cissus). But sometimes large plants are named after small ones: we often call the exotic arbutus a strawberry tree because of its edible berry-like fruit, and the mulberry a blackberry tree.

If we assume that the name of the aegilops oak was the original one, then it turns out that we are dealing with some non-obvious proto-Indo-European root denoting a large tree. As a result of its desemanization, folk etymology associated it with the lexeme αἶξ. Then, as a result of metaphorization, the cereal with a bulbous plant also received this name. Unfortunately, αἴγιλος is being knocked out of this chain again.

The word αἰγίλωψ appears much more often as the name of the cereal. Therefore, perhaps the name of the oak was formed from it. Then it seems logical that the rarely found Quercus robur in Greece got its name from a familiar cereal on the grounds that the fruits of both plants can be used for livestock feed. Subsequently, this name of the oak became less common, and in even later times, the authors stopped imagining what kind of grass is called egilops.

Conclusion

The lexeme αἰγίλωψ is used by Theophrastus in two meanings: "cereal" – Aegilops ovata, Aegilops ovata, and "oak". It can be a rock oak, Quercus sessiliflora, an Austrian oak, Quercus Cerris, or a Petiolate Oak, Quercus robur. The word can also mean a certain bulbous plant, but it is not described by Theophrastus. The lexeme under study appears for the first time in the botanical treatises of Theophrastus. It is further found in Philo of Byzantium, Nicander of Colophon, Dioscorides, Pliny the Elder, Galen, Oribasius, Aetius of Amidia, Paul of Aegina, in the lexicon of Gezichius, in Etymologicum Magnum and in the scholia to Theocritus. This word was used extremely rarely in the second and third meanings ("oak" – in Theophrastus, Pliny and in the scholia, "bulbous" – in Pliny and possibly Philo), and in the era of late antiquity and Byzantium was not used at all. In addition, the first meaning became insufficiently clear in this era.

Classic works of etymology says that the name of Aegilops-cereal is associated with the root -αἰγ- (the goat – αἶξ, αἰγός) and ωψ (similar in appearance; ὤψ view, view). It is believed that it comes from the name of an unknown similar cereal – αἴγιλος. Since "egilos" is not described by Theophrastus, we tend to believe that αἰγίλωψ and αἴγιλος are synonyms or very close plants.

Egilops-oak is associated with the Indo-European root *aik- (a certain large tree) and with the word λώπη (rags). A number of arguments cast doubt on the need to construct two different etymological series. First of all, the lack of a separate etymology in the bulbous plant αἰγίλωψ prompts to build a single row. In addition, in ancient Greek composites, the name of animals is quite common in the first place, and the name of a plant is the opposite. Further, for the ancient Greek language, transferring the name from one plant to another is not uncommon, so the second etymological series is not always mandatory here. It is also important that in complex ancient Greek names of plants, the second word is usually attached without suffixes. Finally, the element -λωψ in the desired meaning is found nowhere else, the word λώπη itself is more characteristic of poetry than for everyday use. And the element -ωψ is a fairly productive model for the formation of names, among which there are names of biological species.

Thus, if we agree with the opinion of Bekes and other researchers, then it is necessary to build two different etymological series, where the name of the cereal is a comparison (similar to "αἴγιλος"), and the name of the oak is a metaphor ("a tree in rags"). Then the bulbous will probably have to be compared with the cereal. However, a more rational is to create a single etymological series for polysemous words: αἶξ → αἴγιλος → αἰγίλωψ. The name of one plant can come from the name of another, this wave is characteristic of Theophrastus, in this case we can talk about the formation of the name by comparing individual characteristics of the plant, then one of the meanings of the word under study is a name-comparison (with an animal), and the other is a metaphorical name (transfer by similarity). Since it seems the most logical idea that the tree Aegilops is the English Oak, called from a cereal based on the comparison of economic use their fetuses, it turns out that αἰγίλωψ-grass – is the name of comparison formed by the characteristic element ωψ, and αἰγίλωψ-oak – it is a metaphorical name derived based on the transfer of the value of similarity.