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

CHAP. 43. Of Blites.

¶ The Description.

1 THe great white Blite groweth three or foure foot high, with grayish or white round stalkes: the leaues are plaine and smooth, almost like to those of the white Orach, but not so soft nor mealy: the floures grow thrust together like those of Orach: after that commeth the seed inclosed in little round flat husky skinnes.

2 There is likewise another sort of Blites very smooth and flexible like the former, sauing that the leaues are reddish, mixed with a darke greene colour, as is the stalke and also the rest of the plant.

3 There is likewise found a third sort very like vnto the other, sauing that the stalkes, bran∣ches, leaues, and the plant is altogether of a greene colour. But this growes vpright, and creepes not at all.

4 There is likewise another in our gardens very like the former, sauing that the whole Plant traileth vpon the ground: the stalks, branches, and leaues are reddish: the seed is small, and cluste∣ring together, greene of colour, and like vnto those of Ruellius his Coronopus, or Bucks-horne.

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‡ 1 Blitum majus album. The great white Blite.

[illustration]

2 Blitum majus rubrum. The great red Blite.

¶ The Place.

The Blites grow in Gardens for the most part, although there be found of them wilde many times.

¶ The Time.

They flourish all the Summer long, and grow very greene in Winter likewise.

¶ The Names.

It is called in Greeke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine, Blitum: in English, Blite, and Blites: in Fr ench, Blites, or Blitres.

[illustration]

‡ 3 Blitum minus album. The small white Blite.

[illustration]

‡ 4 Blitum minus rubrum. The small red Blite.

¶ The Nature.

The Blite (saith Galen in his sixth booke of the faculties of simple medicines) is a pot-hearbe which serueth for meate, being of a cold moist temperature, and that chiefely in the second de∣gree. It yeeldeth to the body small nourishment, as in his second booke of the faculties of nou∣rishments he plainly shewes; for it is one of the pot-herbes that be vnsauoury or without taste, whose substance is waterish.

¶ The Vertues.

The Blite doth nourish little, and yet is fit to make the belly soluble, though not vehemently, [ A] seeing it hath no nitrous or sharpe qualitie whereby the belly should be prouoked. I haue heard many old wiues say to their seruants, Gather no Blites to put into my pottage, for they are not good for the eye-sight: whence they had those words I know not, it may be of some Doctor that neuer went to schoole, for that I can finde no such thing vpon record, either among the old or later Writers.