Phoenix theophrasti ancient Greek ‘father of botany,’ had described several types of palms, including one from Crete. Apart from the usually inedible dates and upright fruit clusters, the Cretan species can appear quite similar to the cultivated date ("Phoenix dactylifera"). "Phoenix theophrasti" grows up to 15 m tall, usually with several slender stems. The leaves are pinnate, 2–3 m long, with numerous rigid greyish-green linear leaflets 15–50 cm long on each side of the central rachis. Dead leaves are marcescent, remaining attached to the stem for years after withering. The fruit is an oval yellowish-brown drupe 1.5 cm long and 1 cm
Parable of the Olive Tree had all grown only poor fruit. Bitterly disappointed, "the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?" (Jacob 5:41). The master determined to burn all the trees in the vineyard, since all had given only evil fruit. Again the servant begged for clemency, and the master was persuaded, being reluctant to lose the vineyard he loved so much. The master decided to cut out those branches of wild olives that he had grafted onto the original tree that gave the most bitter fruit, and replace them with branches from