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¶ The Description.
1 THe plant which is commonly called Olus album, or the white pot-herbe (which of some hath been set out for a kinde of Valerian, but vnproperly, for that it doth very nota∣bly resemble the Lettuce, as well in forme, as in meate to be eaten, which propertie is not to be found in Valerian, and therefore by reason and authoritie I place it as a kinde of Let∣tuce) hath many slender weake stalkes trailing vpon the ground, with certaine edges a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 high when it growes in most fertile ground; otherwise a hand or two high, with sundry ioynts or knees: out of euery one whereof grow a couple of leaues narrow and long, not vnlike to Lettuce at the first comming vp, as well in tendernesse as taste in eating; and on the top of the stalkes stand vpon a broad tuft as it were certaine white floures that be maruellous little, which can scarsely be known to be floures, sauing that they grow many together like a tuft or vmbel: it hath in stead of roots a few slender threads like vnto haires.
2 The other kind of Lettuce, which Dodonaeus in his last edition setteth forth vnder the name of Album olus: the Low-countrey men call it 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and vse it for their meate called Wer∣mose; with vs, Loblollie. This plant hath small long leaues a finger broad, of a pale green colour; among which shooteth vp a small cornered and slender stem halfe a foot high, ioynted with two or three ioynts or knees, out of which proceed two leaues longer than the first, bearing at the top of the branches tufts of very smal white floures closely compact together, with a root like the for∣mer.
‡ Both these are of one plant, differing in the bignesse and broadnesse of the leafe and the whole plant besides. ‡