A. leaf; in Ep. and Hdt. always in pl. leaves, or collectively foliage, φύλλα καὶ ὄζους Il. 1.234, al.; φύλλα δʼ 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 φύλλʼ ἄνεμος δονεῖ B. 5.65; sg., S. OC 701 (lyr.), Thphr. HP 1.10.6, 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, φύλλʼ ἀοιδᾶν Pi. I. 4(3).27; of leaves used as voting-papers, IG 12(5).595A 12 (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:

a. = βρυωνία, dog Mercury, Mercurialis perennis, Thphr. HP 9.18.5, Dsc. 3.125.

b. the leaf-like fruit of silphium, Hp. Nat.Mul. 72, Thphr. HP 6.3.1, Polyaen. 4.3.32.

c. = λευκάκανθα, Dsc. 3.19.