ARABIAN PLANTS 365 



Amomum is a certaine fruite that is clustering together having about 7 or 

 8 or 10 berryes on a stalke, every berry somewhat like a greate grape 

 but whitish or yellowish & is skinnye on the outside & conteyneth 

 divers browne seedes within them that smell very hott & are very 

 sharpe biting the tongue. The Arabians call it Amana. 



(One of the many kinds of Cardamons. Clusius received Afiioiiinm Cardn- 

 inonum L., in 1605.] 



Calamus gromaticus is a certaine drogue not very well knowen to us 

 & therefore can give no true description, yet we understand it is to be 

 had in those East partes : we would faine see the true. The Arabians 

 call it Cassabalderira. 



yAcortis calatuus L., received by Clnsius in Western Europe in 1574 ] 



Squinant is a certaine small rushe that tasteth hott like spice : the whole 

 countrye of Arabia aboundeth as plentifully with it as other countryes 

 with grasse & rushes. The Arabians call it Adhar & Adher. The 

 smaller & finer the rushes are, the hotter in taste & the better : the 

 greater rushes are courser. 



[Herba Schoenanthi vel Squinanlhi from Andropogou laitiger Desf.J 



Acacia is the iuyce of the fruite of a tree called Akakia growing in Egypt 

 & Arabia, thickened & made into small cakes very astringent & bind- 

 ing in tast. There is also a fine small white gum that is taken from 

 the same tree Akakia wherof we would fayne have some. The fruite 

 of the tree are certaine codds wherwith they use & dresse lether in 

 Egypt. We wold faine have store of those codds which are like 

 beane codds to be sent unto us also. 



[Gum of Acacia arabica was known in 17th cent. u. C. and is mentioned by 

 Theophrastus, Dioscorides, and Pliny.] 



Ameos is a small seed smaller than persly seede & tasteth somwhat hott, 

 it is called Ameos I thinck every where. 



[This is doubtless the species described as Amnii panmm foliis foeniculi (Park. 

 Theatrum, 912) = Carum amnioides V>. & H.] 



Balsamum is a whitish oyle thin & cleere that cometh from Mecha & other 

 places in Arabia gathered distilling from a tree there growing which 

 they call Balessan of a sweete & sharpe sent somwhat like Turpintine 

 but thiner & whiter, & if a droppe be put upon water it spreadeth on 

 the toppe of the water like common oyle, & wil be whitish if it be 

 gathered together from off the water with a little stick or other 

 thinge. 



The berryes of the tree likewise we wold have some store they are 

 brownish round berryes with a sharpe pointe or end & smell somwhat 

 stronge like the oyle. 



The small sprigges & branches of the same tree Balessan likewise we 

 want with smell of the oyle, if they be fresh are of a darke browne 

 coUour on the outside & are a little gumye & will stick to ones fingers 

 espetially if they be fresh and new. 

 [^Balsainodettdron Gikadensc.~\ 



The remainder of the items were written by Parkitison himself. 



Gate SO called of most both Indians, Arabians and Persians is a thick 

 blackish substance allmost hke Opium but a little harsh or astringent 

 and bitter withall. The tree is full of thornes and is called by the 

 Indians Hacchhic & we call it Lycium : we would faine have some 

 of the beryes or fruite that growe upon this tree. 



[Perhaps the Lycium of Dioscorides prepared from Indian species of Bcrbcris^ 

 Parkinson spells the word Hattych]. 



