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 Descriptions.

1 The first of these, which for the largenesse is called Nonpareille, hath long broad leaues and roots like the other Daffodils. The floure consists of six very large leaues of a pale yellow colour, with a very large cup, but not very long: this cup is yellower than the incompassing leaues, narro∣wer also at the bottome than at the top, and vneuenly cut about the edges. This is called Narcis∣sus omnium maximus, or Non pareille; the figure well expresseth the floure, but that it is somewhat too little. There is a varietie of this with the open leaues & cup both yellow, which makes the dif∣ference. There is also another Non pareille, whose floures are all white, and the six leaues that stand spred abroad are vsually a little folded, or turned in at their ends.

2 Besides these former there are foure or fiue double yellow Daffodils, which I cannot passe ouer in silence; the first is that, which is vulgarly amongst Florists knowne by the name of Robines

Narcisse; and it may be was the same our Author in the precedent chapter mentions he receiued from Robine; but he giuing the figure of another, and a description not well 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this, I can af∣firme nothing of certaintie. This double Narcisse of Robine growes with a stalke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 foot in height, and the floure is very double, of a pale yellow colour, and it seemes commonly to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it selfe into some six partitions, the leaues of the floure lying one vpon another euen to the middle of the floure. This may be called Narcissus pallidus multiplex Robini, Robines double pale Narcisse.

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‡ 1 Narcissus omnium maximus. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Daffodill.

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‡ 3 Pseudonarcissus flore pleno. The double yellow Daffodill.

3 The next to this is that which from our Author, the first obseruer thereof, is vulgarly called Gerrards Narcisse: the leaues and root do not much differ from the ordinarie Daffodill; the stalk is scarce a foot high, bearing at the top thereof a floure very double; the sixe outmost leaues are of the same yellow colour as the ordinarie one is; those that are next are commonly as deepe as the tube or trunke of the single one, and amongst them are mixed also other paler coloured leaues, with some green stripes here & there among those leaues: these floures are somtimes all contained in a trunk like that of the single one, the sixe out-leaues excepted: other whiles this inclosure is is broke, and then the floure stands faire open like as that of the last described. Lobel in the second part of his Aduersaria tells, That our Author Master Gerrard found this in Wiltshire, growing in the garden of a poore old woman; in which place formerly a Cunning man (as they vulgarly terme him) had dwelt.

This may be called in Latine, according to the English, Narcissus multiplex Gerardi, Gerrards double Narcisse.

The figure we here giue you is expressed somewhat too tall, and the floure is not altogether so double as it ought to be.

4 There are also two or three double yellow Daffodils yet remaining. The first of these is cal∣led Wilmots Narcisse, (from Master Wilmot, late of Bow) and this hath a very faire double & large yellow floure composed of deeper and paler yellow leaues orderly mixed.

The second (which is called Tradescants Narcisse, from Master Iohn Tradescant of South-Lam∣beth) is the largest and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of all the rest; in the largenesse of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it exceeds Wilmots, which otherwise it much resembles; some of the leaues whereof the floure consists are sharp poin∣ted,

and these are of a paler colour; other some are much more obtuse, and these are of a deeper and fairer yellow.

This may be called Narcissus Roseus Tradescanti, Tradescants Rose Daffodill.

The third M. Parkinson challengeth to himselfe; which is a floure to be respected, not so much for the beautie, as for the various composure thereof, for some of the leaues are long and sharpe pointed, others obtuse and curled, a third sort long and narrow, and vsually some few hollow, and in shape resembling a horne; the vtmost leaues are commonly streaked, and of a yellowish green; the next to them fold themselues vp ronnd, and are vsually yellow, yet sometimes they are edged with greene. There is a deepe yellow pestill diuided into three parts, vsually in the midst of this floure. It floures in the end of March. I vsually (before M. Parkinson set forth his Florilegie, or garden of floures) called this floure Narcissus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by reason of its various shape and colour: but since I thinke it fitter to giue it to the Author, and terme it Narcissus multiplex varius Parkin∣soni, Parkinsons various double Narcisse.

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‡ 5 Narcissus Iacobaeus Indicus. The Indian or Iacobaean Narcisse.

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‡ 6 Narcissus juncifolius montanus minimus. The least Rush-leaued Mountaine Narcisse.

5 Now come I to treat of some more rarely to be found in our gardens, if at all. That which takes the first place is by Clusius called Narcissus Iacobaeus Indicus, the Indian or Iacobaean Nar∣cisse. The root hereof is much like to an ordinarie onion, the leaues are broad like the other Nar∣cisses, the stalke is smooth, round, hollow, and without knots, at the top whereof, out of a certaine skinny huske comes forth a faire red floure like that of the flouring Indian reed, but that the leaues of this are somewhat larger, and it hath six chiues or threds in the middle thereof of the same co∣lour as the floure, and they are adorned with brownish pendants; in the midst of these there stands a little farther out than the rest, a three forked stile, vnder which succeeds a triangular head, after the falling of the floure.

This giues his floure in Iune or Iuly.

6 This Lobell calls Narcissus montanus juncifolius minimus, The least Rush-leaued mountaine Narcisse. The leaues of this are like the Iunquilia; the stalke is short, the floure yellow, with the six winged leaues small and paler coloured, the cup open and large to the bignesse of the floure.

7 This also is much like the former; but the six incompassing leaues are of a greenish faint yellow colour; the cup is indented, or vnequally curled about the edges, but yellow like the pre∣cedent. Lobell calls this Narcissus montanus juncifolius flore 〈◊〉〈◊〉, The mountaine Rush-leaued Narcisse with an indented or curled cup.

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‡ 7 Narcissus montanus juncifolius flore fimbriato, The mountaine Rush leaued Narcisse with an indented or curled cup.

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‡ 8 Narcissus omnium minimus monta∣nus albus. The least mountaine white Nar∣cisse.

8 The leaues of this are as small as the Autumne Iacinth, the stalke some handfull high, and the floure like the last described, but it is of a whitish colour. Lobell calls this last described, Nar∣cissus omnium minimus montanus albus, The least mountaine white Narcisse. These three last vsually floure in Februarie. ‡