A nievve herball, or historie of plantes wherin is contayned the vvhole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers [and] sundry kindes: their straunge figures, fashions, and shapes: their names, natures, operations, and vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly vsed in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongue, by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, physition to the Emperour: and nowe first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte Esquyer.

Of the kindes of Kali / or Saltworte. Chap. lxxviij.

❀ The Description.

THe herbe named of the Arabians Kali, or Alkali hath many grosse stalkes, of halfe a foote or nine inches long: out of them groweth small leaues, somewhat long & thicke, not much vnlike the leaues of Prick∣madam, sauing they be longer, and sharpe poynted, with a harde prick∣ley toppe or poynt, so that for this consideration the whole plant is very rough and sharpe, and his leaues be so dangerous and hurtfull by reason of their sharp prickles, that they cannot be very easily touched. Amongst the leaues groweth small yellow floures, and after them followeth small seede. The roote is some∣what long, weake and slender. This herbe is salte and full of iuyce or sap like Anthyllis altera, which is before described in the seuenth Chapter.

[ 2] There is an other herbe in nature much like vnto this, the whiche is called Salicornia, the same hath stalkes without leaues, and diuideth it selfe agayne

into sundry and diuers other branches with many knottes and ioyntes, easie to be pluckte of, or broken away: euery of the sayde ioyntes are of the quantitie of a wheate Corne. This plante is also salte in taste and full of iuyce like Kali.

[illustration]

Kali. Salteworte.

[illustration]

Salicornia. Sea grape, or knotted Kali.

Of these two plantes are made Alumen Catinum, and Sal Alcali, whiche is much vsed in the making of glasses, and for diuers other purposes.

❀ The Place.

These herbes grow in saltish groundes, by the Sea side or Coaste, in Zea∣land, and England.

❀ The Tyme.

These herbes are found in their naturall places, in Sommer.

❀ The Names.

[ 1] The first is called in Italian Soda: in Spanish Barilla, and Soda Barilla: and it is the right Kali, or Alkali of the Arabians: some call it in English Salte worte, we may also call it Kali, or Prickled Kali.

[ 2] The second is now called Salicornia, & it is a certaine kinde of Kali. Some call it in English Sea grape, and knotted or ioynted Kali.

The Axsen or asshes, whiche are made of burnt Kali, is called in Latine of the Alcumistes and Glassemakers Alumen Catinum, but the Salte whiche is made of the same Axsen, is called Sal Alcali: And that which fleeteth or swim∣meth vpon the stuffe whereof Glasses are made, is now called in Shoppes Axungia vitri: in English the fatte or floure of Glasse: in French Suin de voirre: in Douch Smout van ghelasen: in Italian Fior de Cristallo▪ that is to say, in Latin Flos Crystalli: in English the Creame or floure of Crystall.

❀ The Nature.

These herbes be salte, and therefore drie.