pliny's "natural history" records the westward progress of the plane "introduced among us from a foreign clime for nothing but its shade", planted first at the tomb of diomedes on the island of tremiti, then imported to greek sicily by dionysius the elder (c. 432-367 bc), tyrant of syracuse. he had plane-trees conveyed to the city of rhegium (reggio di calabria), where they were looked upon as the great marvel of his palace, according to pliny's sources. from there it spread by the first century ce as far as the lands of the morini in belgic gaul. regardless of why it may have been introduced, the tree had medicinal uses from early times. pliny details 25 remedies using preparation from the bark, leaves and excrescences of plane. pliny prescribes it for burns, bites, stings, frostbite and infections.