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 THis tree was called Zizypha candida by the Herbarists of Montpellier; and by the Vene∣tians and Italians, Sycomorus, but vntruly: the Portugals haue termed it Arbor Paradi∣zo: all which and each whereof haue erred together, both in respect of the fruit and of the whole tree: some haue called it Zizypha, though in facultie it is nothing like; for the taste of this fruit is very vnpleasant, virulent, and bitter. But deciding all controuersies, this is the tree which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 calleth Azederach, which is very great, charged with many large armes, that are garnished with twiggie branches, set full of great leaues consisting of sundry small leaues, one growing right op∣posite to another like the leaues of the Ash tree or Wicken tree, but more deepely cut about the edges like the teeth of a saw: among which come the floures, consisting of fiue small blew leaues layd abroad in manner of a starre: from the middest whereof groweth forth a small hollow cup

resembling a Chalice: after which succeedeth the fruit, couered with a brownish yellow shel, very like vnto the fruit of Iuiubes (whereof Dodonaeus in his last edition maketh it a kinde) of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bitter, and vnpleasant taste, with a six cornered stone within, which being drawne on a string, ser∣ueth to make Beades of, for want of other things.

2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cappadocica groweth not so great as the former, but is of a meane stature, and full of boughes: the barke is smooth and euen, and that which groweth vpon the trunke and great boughes is of a shining scarlet colour: out of these great armes or boughes grow slender twigges, white and soft, which are set full of whitish leaues, but more white on the contrarie or backe part, and are like to the leaues of Willow, but narrower and whiter: amongst these leaues come forth small hollow yellowish floures, growing at the ioints of the branches, most commonly three to∣gether, and of a pleasant sauour, with some few threds or chiues in the middle thereof. After which succeedeth the fruit, of the bignesse and fashion of the smallest Oliue, white both within and without, wherein is contained a small stone which yeeldeth a kernell of a pleasant taste, and very sweet.