A.leaf; in Ep. and Hdt. always in pl. leaves, or collectively foliage, “φύλλα καὶ ὄζους” Il.1.234, al.; “φύλλα δ᾽ ἔραζε χέει” Hes. Op.421; “τὰ φ. καταδρέποντες κατήσθιον” Hdt.8.115; “ὅσσα τε χθὼν ἠρινὰ φ. ἀναπέμπει” Pi.P.9.46; “ψυχὰς ἐδάη . . οἷά τε φύλλ᾽ ἄνεμος δονεῖ” B.5.65; sg., S.OC701 (lyr.), Thphr.HP1.10.6, etc.; “οἵη περ φύλλων γενεή, τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν” Il.6.146, cf. Mimn.2.1; “φύλλων γενεᾷ προσόμοιοι” Ar.Av.685 (anap.); “φύλλοις βάλλειν” E.Hec.574; πλεκτὰ φύλλα wreathed leaves, Id.Hipp.807; φύλλον ἐλαίας, poet. for ἐλάα, S.l.c.: metaph. of choral songs, “φύλλ᾽ ἀοιδᾶν” Pi.I.4(3).27; of leaves used as voting-papers, IG12(5).595A12 (Ceos, iii/ii B. C.).
2. of flowers, petal, [“ῥόδον] ἔχον ἑξήκοντα φύλλα” Hdt.8.138; ὑακίνθινα φ., λειμώνια φ., Theoc.11.26, 18.39.
II. plant, in general, “φ. ὂν ἐπινηχόμενον τῷ ὕδατι” Dsc.1.12, cf. Numen. ap. Ath.9.371b; ἡ κατὰ φύλλον (with or without γεωμετρία) survey according to plants, i. e. crops grown, PTeb.38.3, 78.4 (ii B. C.): ποτίσαι εἰς φύλλον ib.72.362, 105.32 (ii B. C.): esp. of medicinal herbs, “φ. εἴ τι νώδυνον κάτοιδε” S.Ph.44; ἠπίοισι φ. ib.698 (lyr.), cf. 649.
2. as a name of definite species:
b. the leaf-like fruit of silphium, Hp.Nat.Mul.72, Thphr.HP6.3.1, Polyaen.4.3.32.
c. = λευκάκανθα, Dsc.3.19.
