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 THe great Rampion being one of the Bell-floures, hath leaues which appeare or come forth at the beginning somewhat large and broad, smooth and plaine, not vnlike to the leaues of the smallest Beet. Among which rise vp stemmes one cubit high, set with such like leaues as those are of the first springing vp, but smaller, bearing at the top of the stalke a great thicke bushy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 full of little long floures closely thrust together like a Fox-taile: which small floures before their opening are like little crooked hornes, and being wide opened they are small blew-bells, sometimes white, or sometimes purple. The root is white, and as thicke as a mans thumbe.

2 The second kind being likewise one of the bel-floures, and yet a wild kind of Rampion, hath leaues at his first comming vp like vnto the garden Bell-floure. The leaues which spring vp after∣ward for the decking vp of the stalke are somewhat longer and narrower. The floures grow at the top of tender and brittle stalkes like vnto little bells, of a bright blew colour, sometimes white or purple. The root is small, long, and somewhat thicke.

3 This is a wilde Rampion that growes in woods: it hath small leaues spred vpon the ground, bluntly indented about the edges: among which riseth vp a straight stem of the height of a cubit, set from the bottome to the top with longer and narrower leaues than those next the ground: at the top of the stalkes grow small Bell-floures of a watchet blewish colour. The root is thicke and tough, with some few strings anexed thereto.

‡ There is another varietie of this, whose figure was formerly by our Author set forth in the fourth place of the last chapter: it differs from this last onely in that the floures and other parts of the plant are lesser a little than those of the last described. ‡

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3 Rapunculus nemorosus. Wood Rampions.

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‡ 4 Rapunculus Alpinus 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Horned Rampions of the Alpes.

‡ 4 This which growes amongst the rockes in the highest Alpes hath a wooddy and verie wrinckled root an handfull and halfe long, from which arise many leaues set on pretty long stalks, somewhat round, and diuided with reasonable deepe gashes, hauing many veines, and being of a darke greene colour: amongst these grow vp little stalkes, hauing one leafe about their middles, and three or foure set about the floure, being narrower and longer than the bottome leaues. The floures grow as in an vmbell, and are shaped like that Chymicall vessell we vsually call a Retort, being big at their bottomes, and so becomming smaller towards their tops, and hauing many threds in them, whereof one is longer than the rest, and comes forth in the middle of the floure: it floures in August. Pona was the first that described this, vnder the name of Trachelium 〈◊〉〈◊〉 minus.

5 The roots of this other kinde of horned Rampion grow after an vnusuall manner; for first or lowermost is a root like to that of a Rampion, but slenderer, and from the top of that commeth forth as it were another root or two, being smallest about that place whereas they are fastned to the vnder root; and all these haue small sibres comming from them. The leaues which first grow vp are smooth, and almost like those of a Rampion, yet rounder, and made somwhat after the maner of a violet leafe, but nothing so big: at the bottome of the stalk come forth 7 or eight long narrow

leaues snipt about the edges, and sharpe pointed, and vpon the rest of the stalke grow also three or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 narrow sharp pointed leaues. The floures which are of a purple colour, at first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those of the last described; but afterwards parte themselues into fiue slender strings with threds in the middles; which decaying, they are succeeded by little cups ending in fiue little pointels, and con∣taining a small yellow seed. This is described by Fabius Columna, vnder the name of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Corniculatum montanum: And I receiued seeds and roots hereof from M^r. Goodyer, who sound it growing plentifully wilde in the inclosed chalkie hilly grounds by Maple-Durham neere Peters∣field in Hampshire.

6 This which is described in Clusius his Curae poster. by the name of Pyramidalis, and was first found and sent to him by Gregory de Reggio a Capuchine Frier, is also of this kindred; wherefore I will giue you a briefe description thereof. The root is white, and long lasting; from which come diuers round hairie and writhen stalkes, about a span long more or lesse. At the top of these stalks and all amongst the leaues, grow many elegant blew floures, which are succeeded by seed vessels like those of the lesser Trachelium, being full of a small seed. The whole plant yeelds milke like as the rest of this kinde, and the leaues as well in shape as hoarinesse on 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnder sides, well resem∣ble those of the second French or Golden Lungwoort of my description. It was first found grow∣ing in the chinkes of hard rockes about the mouthes of Caues, in the mountaines of Brescia in Italy by the foresaid Frier. ‡

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‡ 5 Rapunculus Corniculatus montanus. Mountaine horned Rampions.

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‡ 6 Rapunculus saxatilis, sive 〈◊〉〈◊〉 alter. Rocke Rampion.