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 April 28, 2025.

Pages

¶ The Description.

1 PYrola hath many tender and verie greene leaues, almost like the leaues of Beete, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in my opinion like to the leaues of a Peare-tree, whereof it tooke his name Pyrola, for that it is Pyriformis. Among these leaues commeth vp a stalke garnished with pret∣tie white floures, of a verie pleasant sweet smell, like Lillium Conuallium, or the Lillie of the Valley. The root is small and threddie, creeping farre abroad vnder the ground.

‡ 2 This differs from the last described in the slendernesse of the stalkes, and smalnesse of the leaues and floures: for the leaues of this are not so thicke and substantiall, but very thinne, sharpe pointed, and very finely snipt about the edges, blacker; and resembling a Peare-tree leafe. The floures are like those of the former, yet smaller and more in number: to which succeed fiue cor∣nered seed vessels with a long pointell as in the precedent: the root also creepes no lesse than that of the former, and here and there puts vp new stalkes vnder the mosse. It growes vpon the Austrian and Styrian Alpes, and floures in Iune and Iuly.

3 This is an elegant plant, and sometimes becomes shrubbie, for the new and short branches growing vp each yeare, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 remaine firme and greene for some yeares, and grow straight vp, vntill at length borne downe by their owne weight they fall downe and hide themselues in the mosse. It hath commonly at each place where new branches growe forth, two, three, or foure thicke verie greene and shining leaues, almost in forme and magnitude like to the leaues of Laureola, yet snipt about the edges, of a very drying taste, and then bitterish. From among these leaues at the Spring of the yeare new branches shoot vp, hauing small leaues like 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vpon them, and at their toppes

Page 408

[illustration]
1 Pyrola. Winter Greene.
[illustration]
‡ 2 Pyrola 2 tenerior Clus. The smaller Winter-Greene.
[illustration]
‡ 3 Pyrola 3. fruticans Clus. Shrubby Winter-Greene.
[illustration]
‡ 4 Pyrola 4. minima Clus. Round leaued Winter Greene.

Page 409

[illustration]
5 Monophyllon. One Blade.
grow floures like to those of the first de∣scribed, yet somewhat larger, of a whitish purple colour; which fading, are succeeded by fiue cornered seed vessels containing a very small seed; the roots are long & cree∣ping. It growes a little from Vienna in Austria in the woods of Entzestorf, and in diuers places of Bohemia and Silesia.

4 This from creeping roots sends vp short stalkes, set at certaine spaces with small, round, and thin leaues, also snipt a∣bout the edges, amongst which vpon a na∣ked stem growes a floure of a pretty big∣nes, consisting of fiue white sharpish poin∣ted leaues with ten threds, and a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 poin∣tell in the midst. The seed is contained in such heads as the former, and it is very small. This growes in the shadowie places of the Alpes of Sneberge, Hochbergerin, Durrenstaine, towards the roots of these great mountaines. Clus.

5 Monophyllon, or Vnifolium, hath a leafe not much vnlike the greatest leafe of Iùie, with many ribs or sinewes like the Plan∣taine leafe; which single leafe doth alwaies spring forth of the earth alone, but when the stalke ri∣seth vp, it bringeth vpon his sides two leaues, in fashion like the former; at the top of which slender stalke come forth fine small floures like Pyrola; which being vaded, there succeed small red berries. The roote is small, tender, and creeping farre abroad vnder the vpper face of the earth.

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