Page:Paradisi in sole paradisus terrestris (1904 reprint).djvu/48

leafe thereof hath on the outſide a certaine bunch or eminence, of a darke purpliſh colour, and on the inſide there lyeth in thoſe hollow bunched places, certaine cleare drops of water like vnto pearles, of a very ſweete taſte almoſt like ſugar: in the midſt of each flower is a long white ſtile or pointell, forked or diuided at the end, and ſixe white chiues tipt with yellowiſh pendents, ſtanding cloſe about it: after the flowers are paſt, appeare ſixe ſquare ſeede veſſels ſtanding vpright, winged as it were or welted on the edges, yet ſeeming but three ſquare, becauſe each couple of thoſe welted edges are ioyned cloſer together, wherein are contained broad, flat, and thinne ſeedes, of a pale browniſh colour, like vnto other Lillies, but much greater and thicker alſo. The ſtalke of this plant doth oftentimes grow flat, two, three, or foure fingers broad, and then beareth many more flowers, but for the moſt part ſmaller then when it beareth round ſtalkes. And ſometimes it happeneth the ſtalke to be diuided at the top, carrying two or three tufts of greene leaues, without any flowers on them. And ſometimes likewiſe, to beare two or three rowes or crownes of flowers one aboue another vpon one ſtalke, which is ſeldome and ſcarce ſeene, and beſides, is but meere accidentall: the whole plant and euery part thereof, as well rootes, as leaues and flowers, doe ſmell ſomewhat ſtrong as it were the ſauour of a Foxe, ſo that if any doe but come neare it, he cannot but ſmell it, which yet is not vnwholſome.

I haue not obſerued any variety in the colour of this flower, more then that it will be fairer in a cleare open ayre, and paler, or as it were blaſted in a muddy or ſmoakie ayre. And although ſome haue boaſted of one with white flowers, yet I could neuer heare that any ſuch hath endured in one vniforme colour.

The Place.

This plant was firſt brought from Conſtantinople into theſe Chriſtian Countries, and by the relation of ſome that ſent it, groweth naturally in Perſia.

The Time.

It flowereth moſt commonly in the end of March, if the weather be milde, and ſpringeth not out of the ground vntill the end of February, or beginning of March, ſo quicke it is in the ſpringing: the heads with ſeed are ripe in the end of May.

The Names.

It is of ſome called Lilium Perficum, the Perſian Lilly: but becauſe wee haue another, which is more vſually called by that name, as ſhall be ſhewed in the next Chapter, I had rather with Alphonſus Pancius the Duke of Florence his Phyſitian, (who firſt ſent the figure thereof vnto M ^ſr . Iohn de Brancion) call it Corona Imperialis, the Crowne Imperiall, then by any other name, as alſo for that this name is now more generally receiued. It hath been ſent alſo by the name Tuſai, and Tuſchai, and Turfani, or Turfanda, being, as it is like, the Turkiſh names.

The Vertues.

For any Phyſicall Vertues that are in it, I know of none, nor haue heard that any hath been found out: notwithſtanding the ſtrong ſent would perſwade it might be applyed to good purpoſe.

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Chap. II.

Lilium Perſicum. The Perſian Lilly.

THe roote of the Perſian Lilly is very like vnto the root of the Crowne Imperiall, and loſing his fibres in like maner euery yeare, hauing a hole therin likewiſe where the old ſtalke grew, but whiter, rounder, and a little longer, ſmaller, and not ſtinking at all like it, from whence ſpringeth vp a round whitiſh greene ſtalke, not