Of sea Purstane, and of the bastarde grounde Pines, Anthyllis, or stinking ground Pine.
The description.
Sea Purstane is not a herbe as garden Purstane, but a little shrub: the stalkes whereof be hard and wooddie: the leaves fat, full of substance, like in forme to common Purstane, but whiter and harder: the flowers stande round about the upper parts of the stalkes, as do almost those of Blyte, or of Orach: neither is the seede unlike being broad and flat: the roote is wooddy, long lasting, as is also the plant, which beareth out the winter with the losse of a few leaves. There is another sea Purstaine called Halimus, or after Dodonaeus Portulaca marina, which hath leaves like the former, but much whiter (as though meale had beene strewed over them) and somewhat longer, not much unlike the leaves of the Olive tree. The branches are much greater, and the flowers of a deeper overworne herbie colour. There is founde another wilde sea Purflane, whereof I haue thought good to make mention; which doth resemble the kindes of Aizoes. The first kinde groweth vpright with a trunke like a small tree or shrub, hauing many vpright woodie braunches, of an ashe colour, with manie thicke, darke, greene leaues like the small Stone crop, called Vermicularis: the flowers are of an herbie yellowish greene colour: the roote very harde and fibrous: the whole plant is of a salt tang taste, and the iuice like that of Kaly. There is another kinde like the former, and differeth in that, this strange plant is greater, the leaues more sharpe and narrower, resembling the common Chamæpitys, and the whole plant more woodie, and commeth neere to the forme of a tree. The flowers are of a greenish colour.
The place.
The first sea Purflane groweth in the salt marshes neere the sea side, as you passe ouer the Kings ferrey into the Ile of Shepey, going to Sherlande house, (belonging sometime to the Lord Cheiny, and in 1590. vnto the right worshipfull sir Edward Hobby) fast by the ditches sides of the same marsh: it groweth plentifully in the Ile of Thanet, as yee go from Margate to Sandwich, and in many other places along the coast. The other sorts growe vpon bankes and heapes of sande on the sea coasts of Zelande, Flaunders, Hollande, and in like places in other countries, as besides the Ile of Purbeck in Englande; and on Rauen-spurne in Holderneffe, as I my selfe haue seene.
The time.
These flourish and flower especially in Iuly. There be also founde other kindes hereof with whiter leaues, longer, and like almost to Oliue leaues; and many times they be higher, and with tender braunches, such as Clusius writeth that he himselfe sawe and obserued in Portingale, and in the kingdome of Valentia in Spaine.
The names.
Sea Purflane is called Portulaca marina: in Greeke ἅλιμος : it is also called in Latine Halimus: in Dutch Zee Porceleyne : in English Sea Purflane. The bastard ground Pines are called of some Chamæpitys vermiculata, Halimus, and Anthillis: in English sea ground Pine.
The temperature.
Sea Purflane is (as Galen saith) of vnlike parts, but the greater part thereof is hot in a meane, with a moisture vnconcocted, and somewhat windie.
The vertues.
The leaues (faith Dioscorides) are boiled to be eaten: a dramme waight of the roote being drunke with meade or honied water, is good against cramps and drawings awrie of sinewes, burstings, and gnawings of the belly: it also causeth nurses to haue store of milke. The leaues be in the Lowe countries preserued in salt or pickle as capers are, and bee serued and eaten at mens tables in steede of them; and that without any mislike of taste, to which it is pleasant. Galen doth also report that the yoong and tender buds are woont in Cilicia to be eaten, and also laide vp in store for vse.
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.