The Description.
Cresses of India have many weake and feeble branches, rising immediatly from the ground, dispersing themselves far abroad; by meanes whereof one plant doth occupie a great circuit of ground, as doth the great Bindeweede. The tender stalks divide themselves into sundry branches, trailing likewise upon the ground, somewhat bunched or swollen up at every joint or knee, which are in colour of a light red, but the spaces betweene the joints are greene. The leaves are round like wall peniwort, called Cotyledon, the foot-stalke of the leafe commeth forth on the backeside almost in the middest of the leafe, as those of Frogbit, in taste and smell like the garden Cresses. The flours are dispersed throughout the whole plant, of colour yellow, with a crossed star overthwart the inside, of a deepe Orange colour: unto the backe-part of the same doth hang a taile or spurre, such as hath the Larkes heele, called in Latine Consolida Regalis; but greater, and the spur or heele longer; which beeing past there succeed bunched and knobbed coddes or seed vessells, wherein is contained the seed, rough, browne of colour, and like unto the seeds of the beete, but smaller.
The Place.
The seeds of this rare and faire plant came from the Indies into Spaine, and thence into France and Flanders, from whence I received seed that bore with mee both floures & seed, especially those I received from my loving friend John Robin of Paris.
The Names.
This beautifull Plant is called in Latine, Nasturtium Indicum: in English, Indian Cresses. Although some have deemed it a kind of Convolvulus, or Binde-weed; yet I am well contented that it retaine the former name, for that the smell and taste shew it to be a kinde of Cresses.
The Nature and Vertues.
We have no certaine knowledge of his nature and vertues, but are content to referre it to the kindes of Cresses, or to a further consideration.