The herball or Generall historie of plantes. Gathered by Iohn Gerarde of London Master in Chirurgerie very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Iohnson citizen and apothecarye of London

¶ The Description.

1 I Haue thought it conuenient to conclude this historie of the Hyacinths with these two bulbous Plants, receiued by tradition from others, though generally holden for feigned and adulterine. Their pictures I could willingly haue omitted in this historie, if the curious eye could elsewhere haue found them drawne and described in our English Tongue: but because I finde them in none, I will lay them downe here, to the end that it may serue for excuse to others who shall come after, which list not to describe them, being as I said condemned for fei∣ned and adulterine, nakedly drawne onely. And the first of them is called 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by others, Bulbus Bomb cinus 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The description consisteth of these points, viz. The floures (saith the Author) are no lesse strange than wonderfull. The leaues and roots are like to those of Hya∣cinths,

which hath caused it to occupie this place. The floures resemble the Daffodils or Nar∣cissus. The whole plant consisteth of a woolly or flockie matter: which description with the Pi∣cture was sent vnto Dodonaeus by Iohannes Aicholzius. It may be that Aicholzius receiued instructi∣ons from the Indies, of a plant called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which groweth in India, whereof Theophra∣stus and Athenaeus do write in this manner, saying, The floure is like the Narcissus, consisting of a flockie or woolly substance, which by him seemeth to be the description of our bombast Iacinth.

[illustration]

1 Bulbus Bombicinus Commentitius. False bumbaste Iacinth.

[illustration]

2 Tigridis flos. The floure of Tygris.

2 The second feigned picture hath beene taken of the Discouerer and others of later time, to be a kinde of Dragons not seene of any that haue written thereof; which hath moued them to thinke it a feigned picture likewise; notwithstanding you shall receiue the description thereof as it hath come to my hands. The root (saith my Author) is bulbous or Onion fashion, outwardly blacke; from the which spring vp long leaues, sharpe pointed, narrow, and of a fresh greene co∣lour: in the middest of which leaues rise vp naked or bare stalkes, at the top whereof groweth a pleasant yellow floure, stained with many small red spots here and there confusedly cast abroad: and in the middest of the floure thrusteth forth a long red tongue or stile, which in time groweth to be the cod or seed-vessell, crooked or wreathed, wherein is the seed. The vertues and tempera∣ture are not to be spoken of, considering that we assuredly persuade our selues that there are no such plants, but meere fictions and deuices, as we terme them, to giue his friend a gudgeon.

‡ Though these two haue beene thought commentitious or feigned, yet Bauhinus seemeth to vindicate the latter, and Iohn Theodore de Bry in his Florilegium hath set it forth. He giues two Fi∣gures thereof, this which we here giue you being the one; but the other is farre more elegant, and better resembles a naturall plant. The leaues (as Bauhine saith) are like the sword-flag, the root like a leeke, the floures (according 〈◊〉〈◊〉 De Bries Figure) grow sometimes two or three of a stalke: the floure consists of two leaues, and a long stile or pestill: each of these leaues is diuided into three parts, the vttermost being broad and large, and the innermost much narrower and sharper: the tongue or stile that comes forth of the midst of the floure is long, and at the end diuided into three crooked forked points. All that De Bry saith thereof is this; Flos Tigridis rubet egregiè circa medium tamen pallet, albusque est & maculatus; ex Mexico à Casparo Bauhino. That is; Flos Tigridis is wondrous red, yet is it pale and whitish about the middle, and also spotted; it came from about Mexico, I had it from Caspar Bauhine. ‡