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 roots of this are somwhat like those of the Asian Ranunculus: the leaues are verie large & roundish, of a light green colour, cut about the edges, & here and there deeply diuided: the stalke is thicke, round, and stiffe, diuided into two or three branches; at the setting on of which grow longish leaues a little nickt about the end: the floures are of an indifferent bignesse, and con∣sist of fiue longish round pointed leaues, standing a little each from other, so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the green points of the cups shew themselues between them: there are yellow threds in the middle of these floures, which commonly shew themselues in Februarie, or March. It is found only in some gardens, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 onely hath set it forth by the name we here giue you.

2 This also that came from the Pyrenaean hills is made a Denizen in our gardens: it hath a stalke some foot high, set with neruous leaues, like those of Plantaine, but thinner, and of the co∣lour of Woad, and they are something broad at their setting on, and end in a sharpe point: at the top of the stalke grow the floures; each consisting of fiue round slender pure white leaues, of a rea∣sonable bignesse, with yellowish threds and a little head in the middle: the root is white and fi∣brous. It floures about the beginning of May. Clusius also set forth this by the title of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 albo flore.

3 The same Author hath also giuen vs the knowledge of diuers other plants of this kinde, and this hee calls 〈◊〉〈◊〉 montanus 1. It hath many round leaues, here and there deeply cut in, and snipt about the edges, of a darke greene colour, and shining, pretty thicke, and of a very hot 〈◊〉〈◊〉: amongst which rises vp a slender, single, and short stalke, bearing a white floure made of fiue little leaues with a yellowish thrum in the middle: which falling, the seeds grow clustering together as in other plants of this kinde: the root is white and fibrous.

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‡ 3 Ranunculus montanus flo. minore. Mountain Crowfoot with the lesser floure.

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‡ 4 Ranunculus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 flore maiore. Mountain Crowfoot with the bigger floure.

4 This also is nothing else but a varietie of the last described, and differs from it in that the floures are larger, and it is sometimes sound with them double. Both these grow on the tops of the Alpes, and there they floure as soone as the snow is melted away, which is vsually in Iune: but brought into gardens they floure very early, to wit, in Aprill.

5 The leaues of this are cut or diuided into many parts, like those of Rue, but softer, & greener (whence Clusius names it Ranunculus-〈◊〉〈◊〉 folio) or not much vnlike those of Coriander (whereupon

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‡ 5 Ranunculus praecox 〈◊〉〈◊〉 folio. Rue leaued Crowfoot.

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‡ 6 Ranunculus Praecox 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Columbine Crowfoot.

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‡ 7 Ranunculus parvus echinatus. Small rough headed Crowfoot.

Pona calls it Ranunculus Coriandri folio:) amongst or rather before these comes vp a stalk some hand full high, bearing at the top thereof one floure of a reasonable bignesse: on the outside before it be throughly open of a pleasing red color, but white within, composed of twelue or more leaues.

6 This hath a stalke some foot high, small and reddish, whereon grow sundry leaues like those of the greater Thalictrum, or those of Columbines, but much lesse, and of a bitter taste: out of the bo∣somes of these leaues come the floures at each space one, white, and consisting of fiue leaues a∣piece: which falling, there succeed two or three little hornes containing a round reddish seed: the root is fibrous, white, very bitter, and creepes here and there, putting vp new shoots. It growes in di∣uers woods of Austria, and floures in Aprill, and the seed is ripe in May, or Iune. Clusius calls it Ra∣nunculus praecox 2. Thalietri folio. It is the Aquile∣giaminor Daleschampij in the Hist. Lugd.

7 This which (as Clusius saith) some call the Ranunculus of Apuleius, hath also a fibrous root, with small leaues diuided into three parts, & cut about the edges, and they grow vpon short foot∣stalkes; the stalkes are some two handfulls-high, commonly leaning on the ground, and on them grow such leaues as the former: and out of their bosomes come little foot-stalks carrying floures of a pale yellow color, made of fiue leaues apiece,

which follow there succed fiue or six sharpe pointed rough cods, conteining seed almost like that of the former. ‡