Flora, seu, De florum cultura, or, A complete florilege, furnished with all requisites belonging to a florist by John Rea, Gent.

CHAP. VI.

HAving passed through those greater woody flower-bearing Trees, Shrubs, and Plants, we will proceed to some lesser, whose stalks like the last die to the ground in Winter, and rise again from the roots at the Spring; and then conclude with some small woody Plants, that for the beauty of their flowers are preserved in our choicest Gardens.

Fraxinella flore rubente.

BAstard Dittany with a reddish flower riseth up with divers round hard woody brownish stalks, about two foot high, the lower parts whereof are furnished with many winged leaves, resembling those of Liquorish, or of a young Ash, consisting of seven, nine, or eleven set together, somewhat large and long, finely purled about the edges, of a sad green colour, and strong resinous scent; the up∣per part of the stalks are furnished with many flowers, growing in a spike at distances one above another, each containing five long leaves, whereof four stand on the two sides bending upwards, the fifth hanging down, turning up again the end, of a faint or pale red colour, striped through every leaf with a deeper red, having a tassel in the middle made of five or six long purplish threds, that bow down with the lower leaf, and turn up the ends again, with a little freeze or thrum at the ends of each of them: the flowers are succeeded by hard stiff clammy husks, horned or pointed at the ends, something like those of the Columbine, but bigger, rougher, and harder, where∣in is contained round shining black seeds: the root is white, very large and spreading under ground; the whole Plant throughout all the parts thereof hath that strong resinous scent, not so pleasant to the Nose, as the flowers are delightful to the Eye.

Fraxinella flore rubro.

BAstard Dittany with a red flower differeth from the former, in that it is bigger in all the parts thereof, the leaves of a darker green colour, the flowers grow in a longer spike, and of a deeper red co∣lour; of this kind there is another raised from the seeds of this, whose flowers grow thicker on the stalk than any other kind, and are of a deep bloudy red colour.

Flaxinella flore albo.

BAstard Dittany with a white flower hath the leaves and stalks of a fresher green colour than any of the former, and the flowers white, and not altogether so big, in no other thing differing from the former.

Fraxinella flore albo caeruleo.

BAstard Dittany with an Ash-coloured flower differeth onely from the last in the colour of the flowers, those of this being of a pale blue or Ash colour: there is also another variety of this, raised from the seeds of this kind, which is lesser in all the parts thereof than any of the other, and the flowers are of a bleak blue colour, striped with a deeper blue or violet colour.

Having now done with the varieties of the stately, though strong-scented Fraxinella, we will conclude with a kind or two of sweet-smelling Cistus, leaving the many other diversities to their natural habitations, being Plants so tender, that the trouble in keeping them would be more than the pleasure of having them.

Cistus mas.

THe male Cistus is a small shrubby Plant, growing with us about three or four foot high, having many slender brittle woody branches, covered with a whitish bark, whereon are set many long and something narrow whitish green leaves, crumpled and something hard in handling, two standing at every joynt; the flowers come forth at the ends of the branches, three or four together upon slen∣der foot-stalks, each consisting of five small round leaves, like unto a small single Rose, of a fine reddish purple colour, with many yel∣low threds in the middle, which soon fall away, and are succeeded by round hard hairy heads, containing small brown seeds.

Cistus Ledon.

THe Gum Cistus riseth higher and spreadeth more than the for∣mer, with many blackish woody branches, whereon are set di∣vers long narrow dark green leaves, but whiter on the backsides, standing two together at every joynt; the stalk and leaves being be∣dewed with a clammy sweet moisture, but much more in hot Coun∣tries than in ours, which being artificially taken off, is that black sweet Gum called Ladanum: at the tops of the branches stand single white flowers, larger than those of the former, like single Roses with five leaves, each having at the bottom a dark purplish spot, broad below and pointed upwards, with some yellow threds in the middle; after the flowers are past, cornered heads succeed, wherein is contained small brownish seeds, like those of the former.

The Fraxinella's are in flower about the end of June, and conti∣nue most of July; the seed is ready to gather about the end of Au∣gust, which will (by the springing of the Pods) be all lost, unless care be taken to prevent it. This is a hardy Plant, and will endure many years without removing, and yield many new Plants; which in the beginning of March may be taken from the old root: they are also raised from seeds sowed in rich earth as soon as the frosts are past in February, from whence varieties may be raised, especially from those of the deep red, the white, and the Ash colour.

The Cistus is raised from seeds, and the Plants housed in Winter, for they will not endure the cold air.