See Palma coccifera.

Coccus polonicus, Coccus radicis tinctorius, is found of different sizes, from a poppy seed; to a pepper corn, and in greater or less numbers adhering to the roots of the polygonum cocciferum of Ray, the seleranthus perennis Lin. Sp. Pi. 580. Breynius describes it as being round, smooth, and of a purple violet colour: it has a thin skin, inclosing a blood red juice; one half or more of it is covered with a rough dark brown crust, by which it adheres to the roots. It is gathered in summer and dried in earthen platters. One of these exposed to the sun, by the latter end of July-produces a small worm, which, after a few days, lays numerous eggs. The young ones fix to the roots of the plants, or their lowest branches, and suck their juice. These berries are used as a colour in dyeing, for they abound with a purple juice. As a medicine, their virtues are the same with the chermes, and for these the) are a good succedaneum. The insect is the coccus po-lonkus Lin. Syst. Nat. (Gmelin) 1218. See Neumann's Chem. Works, and Raii Hist. Plant.