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

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Title
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
Author
Gerard, John, 1545-1612.
Publication
London :: Printed by Adam Islip Ioice Norton and Richard Whitakers,
anno 1633.
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Subject terms
Botany -- Pre-Linnean works -- Early works to 1800.
Botany, Medical -- Early works to 1800.
Gardens -- England -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A01622.0001.001
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A01622.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 7, 2025.

Pages

¶ The Description.

1 THe first kinde of Onobrychis hath many small and twiggie pliant branches, ramping and creeping through and about bushes, or whatsoeuer it groweth neere vnto: the leaues and all the rest of the pulfe or plant is very like to the wilde Vetch or Tare: the floures grow at the top of small naked stalks, in shape like the pease bloome, but of a purple colour layed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with blew, which turne into small round prickly husks, that are nothing else but the seed.

[illustration]
1 Onobrychis, sive Caput Gallinaceum. Medick Fitchling, or Cockes-head.
[illustration]
2 Onobrychis flore purpureo. Purple Cockes-head.

2 The second kind of Fitchling or Cocks-head, of Clusius his description, hath very many stalks, especially when it is growne to an old plant, round, hard, and leaning to the ground like the other pulses; and leaues very like Galega, or the wilde Vetch, of a bitter taste and lothsome sauour: among which come forth small round stems, at the ends whereof do grow floures spike fashion, three in∣ches long, in shape like those of the great Lagopus, or medow Trefoile, but longer, of an excellent shining purple colour, but without smell: after which there follow small coddes, containing little hard and blacke seed, in taste like the Vetch. The root is great and long, hard, and of a wooddy sub∣stance, spreading it selfe far abroad, and growing very deep into the ground.

3 The third kinde of Fitchling or Cocks-head hath from a tough smal and wooddie root, ma∣ny twiggie branches growing a cubit high, full of knots, ramping and creeping on the ground. The leaues are like the former, but smaller and shorter: among which come forth smal tender stemmes, whereupon do grow little floures like those of the Tare, but of a blew colour tending to purple: the floures being vaded, there come the small cods, which containe little blacke seed like a Kidney, of a blacke colour.

4 The fourth kinde of Fitchling hath firme green hard stalks a cubit and a halfe high, where∣upon grow leaues like to the wilde Tare or Galega, but smaller and somewhat hairie, bitter and vn∣pleasant in taste, and in the end somewhat sharpe. At the top of the stalks come forth long spiked

Page 1244

[illustration]
3 Onobrychis 2. Clusij. Blew Medicke Fitch.
[illustration]
4 Onobrychis 3. Clusij flore pallido. Pale coloured Medicke Fitch.
[illustration]
5 Onobrychis montana 4. Clusij. Mountaine Medick Fetch.
floures, of a pale colour, and in shape like those of the second kinde; which being vaded, there follow small bottle cods, wherein is contained little blacke seed like the seed of Fenegreek, but smaller. The root is thicke and hard, and of a wooddie substance, and lasting very long.

5 The fifth kinde of Onobrychis hath many grosse and wooddie stalks, proceeding immedi∣atly from a thick, fat, and fleshie tough root: the vpper part of which are small, round, and pliant, garnished with little leaues like those of Len∣tils, or rather Tragacantha, somewhat soft, and co∣uered ouer with a woollie hairinesse: amongst which come forth little long and naked stems, eight or nine inches long, whereon do grow ma∣ny small floures of the fashion of the Vetch or Lentill, but of a blew colour tending to purple, and after them come smal cods, wherein the seed is contained.

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