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.

‡ OVr Authour in this Chapter so confounded all, that I knew not well how, handsomely to set all right; for his descriptions they were so barren, that little might be gathered by them, and the figures agreed with their titles, but the place contradicts all; for the first figured is found in England; and the second is not that euer I could learne: also the second floures in the spring, according to Clusius and all others that haue written thereof, and also by our Authours owne title, truely put ouer the figure: yet he said they both floure and flourish from August to the end of September. These things considered, I thought it fitter both for the Readers benefit, and my owne credit to giue you this chapter wholly new with additions, rather than mangled and con∣fused, as otherwise of necessitie it must haue beene. ‡

‡ 1 This elegant Gentianella hath a small yellowish creeping root, from which arise many greene smooth thicke hard and sharpe pointed leaues like those of the broad leaued Myrtle, yet larger, and hauing the veines running alongst the leaues as in Plantaine. Amongst the leaues come vp short stalkes, bearing very large floures one vpon a stalke; and these floures are hollow like a Bel-floure, and end in fiue sharpe points with two little eares betweene each diuision, and their colour is an exquisite blew. After the floure is past there followes a sharpe pointed longish vessell, which opening it selfe into two equall parts, shewes a small crested darke coloured seede.

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‡ 1 Gentianella verna maior. Spring large floured Gentian.

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2 Gentianella Alpina verna. Alpes Felwoort of the spring time.

2 This second rises vp with a single slender and purplish stalke, set at certaine spaces with six or eight little ribbed leaues, standing by couples one against a∣nother. At the top stands a cup, out whereof comes one long floure without smell, and as it were diuided at the top into fiue parts; and it is of so elegant a co∣lour, that it seemes to exceed blewnesse it selfe; each of the foldes or little leaues of the floure hath a whitish line at the side, and other fiue as it were pointed leaues or appendices set betweene them: and in the middest of the floure are certaine pale coloured chiues: a longish sharpe pointed vessell succeeds the floure which contains a small hard round seed. The root is small, yellowish and creeping, putting vp here and there stalkes bearing floures, and in other places onely leaues lying orderly spred vpon the ground.

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3 Gentianella fugax minor. Bastard or Dwarfe Felwoort.

3 Besides these two whose roots last long and increase euery yeare, there are diuers other Dwarfe or Bastard Genti∣ans which are annuall, and wholly perish euery yeare assoone as they haue perfe∣cted their seed; and therefore by Clusius they are fitly called Gentianae fugaces. Of these I haue onely obserued two kindes (or rather varieties) in this Kingdome, which I wil here describe vnto you. The first of these, which is the lesser, & whose figure we here giue you, is a proper plant some two or three inches high, diuided immediatly from the root into three or foure or more branches, set at certaine spaces with little longish leaues, being broadest at the setting on, and so grow∣ing narrower or sharper pointed. The tops of these stalkes are beautified with long, hollow, and pretty large floures, considering the magnitude of the plant, and these floures are of a darke purplish colour, and at their tops diuided into fiue parts. The root is yellowish, small, and wooddy. The seede which is small and round is contained in longish vessels. The stalkes and leaues are commonly of a darke green, or else of a brownish colour.

4 This from a root like, yet a little larger than the former, sends vp a pretty stiffe round stalke of some span high; which at certaine spaces is set with such leaues as the last described, but lar∣ger: and out of the bosomes of these leaues from the bottome to the top of the stalke come forth little foot stalkes, which vsually carry three floures a piece; two set one against another, and the third vpon a stalke somewhat higher; and sometimes there comes forth a single floure at the root of these foot stalkes. The floures in their shape, magnitude and colour, are like those of the last mentioned, and also the seed and seed vessels. The manner of growing of this is very well presen∣ted by the figure of the third Gentian, formerly described in the Chapter last saue one afore∣going.