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

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Title
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
Author
Gerard, John, 1545-1612.
Publication
London :: Printed by Adam Islip Ioice Norton and Richard Whitakers,
anno 1633.
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Subject terms
Botany -- Pre-Linnean works -- Early works to 1800.
Botany, Medical -- Early works to 1800.
Gardens -- England -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A01622.0001.001
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A01622.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 6, 2025.

Pages

¶ The Description.

1 THe great blew Bottle hath long leaues, smooth, soft, downie, and sharpe pointed: among the leaues rise vp crooked, and prettie thicke branches, chamfered, furrowed, and garni∣shed with such leaues as are next the ground: on the toppes whereof stand faire blew floures tending to purple, consisting of diuers little floures, set in a scaly huske or knap like those of the Knapweeds: the seed is rough or bearded at one end, smooth at the other, and shining. The root is tough, and long lasting (contrary to the rest of the Corne floures) and groweth yearely into new shoots and springs, whereby it greatly increaseth.

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[illustration]
7 Cyanus coeruleus multiflorus. Double Blew-Bottles.
[illustration]
8 Cyanus purpurens multiflorus. Double Purple-Bottles.
[illustration]
‡ 9 Cyanus repens latifolius. Broad leafed creeping Blew-Bottle.
[illustration]
‡ 10 Cyanus repens angustifolius. Small creeping Blew-Bottle.

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2 The common Corne-floure hath leaues spred vpon the ground, of a whitish greene colour, somewhat hackt or cut in the edges like those of Corne Scabious: among which riseth vp a stalke diuided into diuers small branches, whereon do grow long leaues of an ouerworne greene colour, with few cuts or none at all. The floures grow at the top of the stalkes, of a blew colour, consisting of many small floures set in a scaly or chaffie head like those of the Knapweeds: the seed is smooth, bright shining, and wrapped in a woolly or flocky matter. The root is small and single, and perisheth when it hath perfected his seed.

3 This Bottle is like the last described in each respect, sauing in the colour of the floures, which are purple, wherein consisteth the difference.

4 The fourth Bottle is also like the precedent, not differing in any point but in the floures; for as the last before mentioned are of a purple colour, contrariwise these are of a milke white co∣lour, which setteth forth the difference.

5 The Violet-coloured Bottle or Corne-floure is like the precedent, in stalkes, leaues, seeds, and roots: the onely difference is, that this bringeth floures of a violet colour, and the others not so.

6 Variable Corne-floure is so like the others in stalks, leaues, and proportion, that it cannot be distinguished with words; onely the floures hereof are of two colours mixed together, that is, purple and white, wherein it differeth from the rest.

7 There is no difference to be found in the leaues, stalkes, seed, or rootes of this Corne∣floure from the other, but onely that the floures hereof are of a faire blew colour, and very double.

8 The eighth Corne-floure is like vnto the precedent, without any difference at all, sauing in the colour of the floures, the which are of a bright purple colour, that setteth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the diffe∣rence.

‡ 9 This from a small root sends vp diuers creeping branches some foot long, set with long hoary narrow leaues: at the tops of the stalkes stand the floures in scaly heads, like as the other Blew-Bottles, but of a darke purple colour. The whole plant is very bitter and vngratefull to the taste. Lobel calls this Cyanus repens.

10 This is like the last described, but that the leaues are much smaller or narrower, also the scaly heads of this are of a finer white siluer colour: and this plant is not possessed with such bit∣ternesse as the former. Lobel calls this Cyanus minimus repens.

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