The Description.
This rare and strange plant was sent to me from the French Kings Herbarist Robinus, dwelling in Paris at the signe of the blacke head, in the streete called Du bout du monde, in English, The end of the world. This herbe I planted in my Garden, and in the beginning of May it came forth of the ground, with small, hard, and woody crooked stalkes: wherupon grow rough and sharpe pointed leaves, almost like Alliaria, that is to say, Sauce alone, or Jacke by the hedge. Lobel and Dodon, say, that the leaves are somewhat like Ivie; but in my judgement they are rather like Alliaria, somwhat snipt about the edges, and turning themselves flat upright, as a man turneth his hand upwards when hee receiveth money. Upon the same stalkes come forth small floures consisting of foure leaves, whose outsides are purple, the edges on the inner side red, the bottome yellow, & the middle part of a bright red colour, and the whole floure somewhat hollow. The root is small, and creepeth almost upon the uppermost face of the earth. It beareth his seed in very small cods which came not to ripenesse in my Garden, by reason that it was dried away with the extreme and unaccustomed heat of the Sun, which happened in the yeare 1590 since which time from yeare to yeare it bringeth seed to perfection. Further Dioscorides and Pliny do report, that it is without floure or seed.
The Place.
dagger It groweth in the moist medowes of Italy about Bononia and Vincentia: it groweth in the Garden of my friend Mr John Milion in Old-street, and some other Gardens about towne.