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.

VIrginia Potato hath many hollow flexible branches trailing vpon the ground, three square, vneuen, knotted or kneed in sundry places at certaine distances: from the which knots com∣meth forth one great leafe made of diuers leaues, some smaller, and others greater, set to∣gether vpon a fat middle rib by couples, of a swart greene colour tending to rednesse; the whole leafe resembling those of the Winter-Cresses, but much larger; in taste at the first like grasse, but afterward sharpe and nipping the tongue. From the bosome of which leaues come forth long

round slender foot-stalkes, whereon do grow very faire & pleasant floures, made of one entire 〈◊〉〈◊〉 leafe, which is folded or plaited in such strange sort, that it seemeth to be a sloure made of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sun∣dry small leaues, which cannot easily be perceiued except the same be pulled open. The whole floure is of a light purple colour, striped downe the middle of euery fold or welt with a light shew of yellownesse, as if purple and yellow were mixed together. in the middle of the floure 〈◊〉〈◊〉 forth a thicke flat pointall yellow as gold, with a small sharpe greene pricke or point in the mid∣dest thereof. The fruit succeedeth the floures, round as a ball, of the bignesse of a little Bullesse or wilde plum, greene at the first, and blacke when it is ripe; wherein is contained small white seed lesser than those of Mustard. The root is thicke, fat, and tuberous, not much differing either in shape, colour, or taste from the common Potatoes, sauing that the roots hereof are not so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nor long; some of them are as round as a ball, some ouall or egge-fashion; some longer, and others shorter: the which knobby roots are fastened vnto the stalkes with an infinite number of threddie strings.

[illustration]

Battata Virginiana, siue Virginianorum, & Pappus: Virginian Potatoes.