DESCRIPTIONS OF PLANTS 187 



pointell Small white & short open at y® toppe into 4 pts, one 



parte lyenge iust over ech flower. 



chives 4 white chives standing just as farr out as the top of 



ye pointell and ech pointell standinge iust opposite 

 to ech leafe of ye perianthos. 



pericarpium hath 4 greenish leaves in form of those of the 

 periantos, closed fast together till the seed is ripe. 



seed the seed is small, smaller than that of sweet margerom 



and ... of colour like it, many lyeng in one peri- 

 carpium. — MS. f. 14. 

 [The identification of this unnamed description has been due to my 

 friend Mr. A. H. Church. It is the earhest English account of the plant.] 



Horse-shoe Vetch. Hippocrepis comosa L. 

 Ferrum equinum Germanicum siiiquis in summitate. 9 Aug. 1634 

 On Buttersworth Hill, 9 Aug. 1634: ripe seed. — MS. f. 53 V. 



Marsh Isnardia. Ludwigia palustris Ell. 

 Herba aquatica rubescens, facie Anagallidis Acre luteo. 



19 Aug. 1645 



The stalks are smooth almost round, sometimes some parts of 

 them a little square, reddish, firme within, not hollowe, sometimes 

 allmost a foot longe, of the bignes of those of orgamen. 



The leaves growe by cooples, on the stalkes & branches, on short 

 footstalks somethinge like those of Anagallis flo. luteo} The 

 biggest are nere 3 quarters of an ynch longe & half an ynch 

 broad, also reddish, smooth, nothinge at all indented by the 

 edges ; those on the toppes of the stalkes & branches are 

 shorter and smaller ; the ioynts about the middest of the stalkes 

 are allmost an ynch apart but towards the topps of the stalks & 

 branches, they are very neare together. The branches come forth 

 at the bosomes of the leaves, & thereby increase very much. The 

 roots are like small threeds & come forth at the ioynts of the stalks 

 & branches, & take hold in the mudd. 



The flowers come forth at the bosomes of the leaves towards the 

 toppes of the stalks & branches, usually forth of ech bosome but 

 one, sometimes two, in one bosome & but one on that opposite to 

 them ; they are small, scarce to be called flowers, but are like the 

 huskes of many herbes that containe the flowers before they be 

 opened, this huske or flower is not half a quarter of an ynch longe, 

 and is divided into 4 parts, or leaves at the toppe, ech leafe beinge 

 sharpe pointed & little bigger then a small pinnes head of a greenish 



^ Lyswiachia nemoruyn L. 



