λωτός

λωτός, ὁ (λῶτα· ἄνθη, Hsch. is perh. for ἄωτα), name applied to various plants and trees (Thphr. HP 7.15.3, Plin. HN 14.101, cf. Hsch.) providing fodder or fruit: I. fodder plants, 1. clover, trefoil, Trifolium fragiferum, Od. 4.603, Thphr. HP 7.8.3, 7.13.5, Dsc. 4.111. 2. fellbloom, Lotus corniculatus, Il. 14.348, Plin. HN 22.55. 3. = τῆλις, fenugreek, Trigonella Foenum-graecum, Dsc. 2.102; λ. ἄγριος wild fenugreek, T. gladiata, Id. 4.111, Gal. 12.65. 4. melilot, T. graeca, Thphr. HP 9.7.3. b. Italian melilot, Melilotus messanensis, Dsc. 4.110, Gal. l.c. 5. = κύτισος, Medicago arborea, Ps.-Dsc. 4.112. II. Nile water-lily, Egyptian lotus, Nymphaea Lotus, Hdt. 2.92, Thphr. HP 4.8.9, PHib. 1.152 (iii B.C.), Dsc. 4.113, Plin. HN 13.107; the blue species (Nymphaea stellata), Thphr. HP 4.8.11; also, Nymphaea Nelumbo, Ath. 3.73a. III. of trees found in Libya, 1. nettle-tree, Celtis australis, Thphr. HP 1.5.3, 4.3.1, Dsc. 1.117, etc.; used for making flutes, Thphr. HP 4.3.4: hence b. in E. (lyr.) and later poets, flute, λ. . . Μουσᾶν θεράπων El. 716, cf. Pae.Delph. 12, AP 7.182 (pl., Mel.); Λίβυς λ. E. Tr. 544, Hel. 170, IA 1036, prob. in Limen. 13. c. pipe inserted in the νάβλα, Sopat. 10. d. tube or stalk of vaginal speculum, Aët. 16.89, Paul.Aeg. 6.73. 2. tree growing among the Lotophagi, Zizyphus Lotus, λωτοῖο . . μελιηδέα καρπόν Od. 9.94, cf. Hdt. 2.96, 4.177, Thphr. HP 4.3.1-4, Plb. 12.2.2.