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 Nardus named Celtica, but now by some, Ligustica Nardus, flourisheth in high moun∣taines. The Vallesians in their mother tongue call it Selliga; whence Gesner thought it to be Saliunca; neither do I doubt, but that it is the same which Virgil speaketh of in these verses:

Puniceis humilis quantum Saliunca 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Iudicio nostro tantum tibi cedit Amintas.

For it is a very little herbe creeping on the ground, and afterward lifting vp it selfe with a stalke of a handfull high; whereupon from the lower part grow small thin leaues, first green, but afterwards somewhat yellowish: vpon the roughnesse of the root there are many scales, platted one vpon ano∣ther; but vnder the root there are many browne strings and hairy threds, in smell like the roots of Astrabacca, or rather the wilde mountaine Valerian, whereof it seemes to be a kinde, in taste sharpe and bitter. The floures grow along the vpper branches, white or yellowish, and very small.

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1 Nardus Celtica. Celticke Spikenard.

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3 Hirculus. Vrine-wort.

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4 ‡ Nardus montana germinans: Mountaine Nard at the first springing vp.

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4 Nardus 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Mountaine Spikenard.

2 The second sort of Spikenard hath many threddy roots, from the which rise vp many scaly rough and thicke stalkes, hauing at the top certaine flat hoary leaues growing vpon smal and tender foot∣stalkes. The whole plant is of a pleasant sweet smell.

3 Hirculus is a plant very rare, which as yet I ne∣uer saw, notwithstanding we are greatly beholding to Carolus Clusius the father of forreine Simples, who finding this plant among many bunches or handfulls of mountaine Spikenard, hath made it knowne vnto posteritie, as he hath done many other rare plants, in

translating of Garcias the Lusitanian Physitian, he setteth it forth with a light description, saying, It is a base and low herbe two handfulls high, bringing forth leaues without any stalkes at all, ‡ very hairy about the root, and blackish, hauing no pleasant sent at all. The leaues chewed yeeld no aromaticke taste, but are clammie, or viscide; whereas the leaues of Celticke Narde are hot, with a little astriction, and of a pleasant smell and taste. ‡

4 Mountaine Spikenard hath a great thicke knobbed root, set here and there with some ten∣der fibres, of a pleasant sweet smel; from the which come forth three or foure smooth broad leaues, and likewise iagged leaues deepely cut euen to the middle rib: among which rise vp naked stalks, garnished in the middle with a tuft of iagged leaues. The floures grow at the top of the stalks, in an vmbel or tuft like those of the wilde Valerian in shape and colour, and such also is the seed. ‡ I haue giuen you the figure of the root and whole leaues as they shew themselues when they first ap∣peare, as it was taken by Clusius. ‡

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5 Nardus Indica. Indian Spikenard.

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6 Nardus Narbonensis. French Spikenard.

5 The Spikenard of India is a low plant, growing close vnto the ground, composed of many rough browne hairy cloues, of a strong, yet not vnpleasant smell. The root is small and threddie. ‡ It hath certainly stalkes, floures, and seeds; but none of our Indian Writers or Trauellers haue as yet described them. I haue seene little pieces of slender hollow stalkes some two inches long fastned to the roots that are brought to vs. ‡

† 6 This French Spikenard, being a bastard kinde, groweth close vpon the ground like the precedent, compact of scaly rough leaues: in the middle whereof commeth forth a great bush of round greene stiffe and rushy leaues: among the which shoot vp diuers round stalkes a cubit high, set from the middle to the top with greenish little cods, standing in chaffie huskes like those of Schoenanth. The root is small and threddy: the whole plant is altogether without smell, which sheweth it to be a bastard kinde of Spikenard.