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 other sortes of Hyacinthes. Chap. xlix.

¶ The Kyndes.

BYsydes the two sortes of Hyacinthes (whiche in deede are the right Hya∣cinthes) described in the former Chapter: there be also diuers flowers, which are also taken for Hyacinthes and are now reckned amongst them.

[illustration]

Hyacinthus neotericorum primus.

[illustration]

Hyacinthus neotericorum tertius.

❀ The Description.

THE first of these kindes of Hyacinthes, hath long, narrowe, greene leaues: amongst which are slender stalkes, lōger then a hand breadth, bearing many trimme flowers, growing togither, about the top of the stalke in a cluster or bundel lyke to a nosegay or litle bunche of grapes, especial∣ly before the opening or spreading abrode of the flowers. The roote is rounde after the order of Bulbus or Onyons, and doth quickly encrease acd multiplie diuers others. The flowers are not muche vnlike to Lillie conual, most com∣monly of an azure or skie colour, wherof some are more shining & cleare, & some are of a deeper colour: sometimes they be also white, and sometimes ye shall see of them changing towardes a carnation or flesh colour: whereof the white are of a very sweete and pleasant sauour.

[ 2] The second is somewhat lyke to the aforesayd: but his leaues be larger and thicker, and they lye strowen or spread vpon the grounde. The flowers be al∣so greater, and doo stande further apart or asunder one from another, of colour somwhat white. The round or Bulbus roote also for his quantitie is greater.

[ 3] The third his leaues also are longer and broder than the abouesayd, much like vnto Leeke blades: the stalke of a foote long, carying many small holowe

flowers, growing so thicke about the top: that they shewe like a brush or holy∣water sprinckle, at the first of a faire violet colour, but when they beginne to wither, of a decayed or olde worne color, & sometimes but very seldome white. Finally the round and bulbus roote of this kind of Hyacinthe is greater, and of colour somewhat red or purple without.

[ 4] The fourth whiche is called Hyacinthus Autumnalis, is the least of these Hyacinthes, yea it is lesse then the first: it hath litle, narrowe, small, and tender leaues: and small slender stemmes of halfe a span long, at the whiche growe very smal flowers, of a cleare azure or skie colour, and fashioned, when they are open, like litle starres, with certayne fine, small, and short threddes growing in the middest of them. The seede is inclosed in a smal triangled huske. The roote is smal, yet of the fashion of an Onyon or Bulbus.

[ 5] The last of al which is described of Fuchsius amongst the Hyacinthes, hath sometimes two; and sometimes three small leaues, amongst whiche there springeth vp a a little stemme, bearing fiue or sixe, or mo flowers at the very toppe, euery one of them growing vpon a small stalke by it selfe: eche flower hath sixe smal leaues, fashio∣ned lyke a starre when they are spread abrode and open: of a skie colour and sometimes white. After these folow rounde knoppes wherein the seede is conteyned. The rootes are small and Bulbus fashioned, like the rest, and lyke vnto litle Onyons, but lesse.

❀ The Place.

[ 1] The first kind of these base Hyacinthes do grow in the woods of Artoys that are next to the lowe Countrie of Germanie, in moyst, wet, and lowe groundes: and they be also often set and planted in gardens: whereof the blew sort is meetely common, but the white are geason, and rare to be founde.

[illustration]

Hyacinthus Autumnalis.

[ 2.3.] The seconde and thirde do also grow in suche lyke places of Italy and Ger∣manie.

[ 4] The fourth sort doth growe in Fraunce, especially neare about Paris.

[ 5] The fifth is meetely common in Germanie, it delighteth most in good fatte groundes, but especially in pastures and vntoyled places.

❀ The Time.

[ 1] The flowers of the first kinde, do shewe bytimes, as in Marche or before, if the weather be milde, and surely one kinde of these flowers, especially that with the perfect azure or deepe colour putteth foorth his leaues before win∣ter, and the rest assoone as winter is gone.

[ 2.3] The seconde and thirde do flower afterwarde.

[ 4] The fourth flowreth last of all at the ende of sommer, and beginning of Au∣tumne.

[ 5] The last flowreth bytimes, as in Marche or Februarie.

❀ The Names.

[ 1] The first bastarde Hyacinthe is of that sort of Bulbus, whiche of the Aun∣cientes was vsed in meates, and called in Latine by the surname of Bulbi escu∣lenti.

[illustration]

Hyacinthus Fuchsij bifolius.

[illustration]

Hyacinthus Fuchsij trifolius.

In these dayes some call them Hyacin∣thi Botryodes, or Hyacinthi racemosi: of the Italians (the white kinde especially) is cal∣led, Dipcadi, or Tipcadi.

[ 2] The seconde is aso in the number Bulborum esculentorum.

[ 3] And so is the thirde also, whiche seemeth to be Bulbina, in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in high Douche it is called Breunling, & of some Honds Knoblauch: in English, Dogges Leekes, and bushe or tufte Hyacinthe.

[ 4] The fourth kinde of bastarde Hyacinthe, is nowe called in Latine, Hya∣cinthus Autumnalis: in English, Autumne Hyacinthe.

[ 5] The fifth Hyacinthe described of Fuchsius, is called in Douche, Mertzel∣blumen, and Hoornungblum: in Englishe, Our Ladyes flower.

❀ The Nature and Vertues.

These bastarde Hyacinthes are not vsed in medicine, and therfore of their nature and vertues is nothing written. They are planted in gardens onely for their flowers.