Of Bulbed Flower deluce.
The kindes.
Like as we haue fet downe fundry forts of Flower de-luces, with flaggie leaues and tuberous or knobbie rootes, variyng very notablie in fundrie refpects, which we haue diftinguifhed in their proper chapters: it refteth that in like maner we fet foorth vnto your view, certaine Bulbofe or Onion rooted Flower de-luces, which in this place doe offer themfelues vnto our confideration, whereof there be alfo fundry forts, forted into one chapter as followeth.
The description.
ONion Flower de-luce hath long narrow blades or leaues, crefted, chamfered, or ftraked on the backe fide, as it were welted, below fomewhat round, opening it felfe toward the top, yet remaining as it were halfe round, wherby it refembleth a hollow trough or gutter. In the bottome of the hollowneffe it tendeth to whiteneffe, and among thefe leaues doe rife vp a ftalke of a cubit high, at the top whereof groweth a faire blew flower not differing from the common Flower de-luce; the which being paft, there com in place long thicke cods or feede veffels, wherein is contained yellowish seede of the bignesse of a tare or fitch: the roote is rounde like the Onion, couered ouer with certaine browne skins or filmes. 2 Changeable Flower de-luce hath leaues like the former, but thinner, narrower, and sharper pointed. The stalke and rootes are also like vnto the former, but lesser. The flower groweth at the top, hauing likewise the forme of the Flower de-luce, that is to say, consisting of sixe greater leaues, and three lesser: the greater leaues fold backward and hang downeward, the lesser stand vpright. And in the middle of the leaues there riseth vp a yellow welt, white about the brims, and shadowed all ouer with a wash of thin blew tending to a watchet colour: toward the stalke they are stripped ouer with a light purple colour, and likewise amongst the hollow places of those that stand vpright, which cannot be exprest in the figure, there is the same faire purple colour: the smell and fauour very sweete and pleasant. The roote is Onion fashion or bulbus, like the other. 3 Of which kinde or sort there is another in my garden, which I receiued of my brother Iames Garret Apothecarie, far more beautifull than the last described. The which is dasht ouer in steed of the blew or watchet colour, with a most pleasant gold yellow colour, of smell exceeding sweete, with bulbed rootes like those of the other sort. 4 It is reported, that there is in the garden of the Prince elector the Landgraue of Hessens garden, one of this sort or kinde, with white flowers, the which as yet I haue not seene. | | | |---|---| | 1 Iris bulbosa. | 2 Iris bulbosa flore vario. | | Onion Flower de-luce. | Changeable Flower de-luce. | 3 The yellow bulbed Flower de-luce hath leaues, rootes, stalks and flowers like vnto the variable or changeable sort; differing notably in two points, that is to say, the stalks of this kinde do appeere of a reddish colour next vnto the ground, whereas the others are of a greenish colour, and the flowers of these be of a faire gold yellow colour, and the other of variable colours. 4 This pale yellow ash coloured bulbus Flower de-luce (if there be any such) agreeth with the former in description. I say if there be any such; for in mine opinion there is none such differing from the other. | 3 Iris bulbosa flore luteo. | 4 Iris bulbosa flore pallido. | | :--- | :--- | | Yellow bulbed Flower de-luce. | Ash colourde Flower de-luce. |
The place.
The first of these bulbed Flower de-luces doth grow wilde, or of it selfe in the corne fields of the most parts of England, as about Bathe and Wels, and those places adiacent; from whence they were first brought into London, where they be naturalized and increase in great plentie in our London gardens. The other sorts do grow naturally in Spaine & Italie wilde, from whence we haue had plants for our London gardens, whereof they do greatly abound.
The time.
They flower in Iune and Iuly, and seldome after.
The names.
The Bulbed Flower de-luce is called of L'Obelius Iris Bulbosa, and also Hyacinthus flore iridis: of some Hyacinthus poetarum; and peraduenture it is the same that Apuleius mentioneth in the twenty one chapter, saying, that Iris named among the old writers Hieris, may also be called and not vnproperly Hierobulbus or Hieribulbus, as though you should say Iris Bulbosa, or Bulbed Ireos, vnlesse you would haue iεραβολβος, called a greater or larger Bulbe: for it is certaine that great and huge things were called of the Ancients iερα, or Sacra: in English holy.
The temperature.
The nature of these Bulbed Flower de-luces, are referred to the kinds of Asphodils.
The vertues.
Take saith Apuleius, of the herbe Hierobulbus fixe $\text{℥}$. Goates suet as much, oile of Alcanet one pound, pound, mixe them togither being first stamped in a stone mortar, it taketh away the paine of the goute. Moreouer, if a woman doe vse to wash her face with the decoction of the roote, mixed with the meale of Lupines, it foorthwith cleanseth away the freckels and morphew, & such like deformities.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.