156 fAe Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 



but fhorter, and of a pale or grayifh greene colour, differing from the colour of all 

 the other Medowe Saffrons: the roote is like the roote of the Englifh or Hungarian 

 without any difference, but that it groweth fomewhat greater. It is one of the firft Me- 

 dowe Saffrons that flower in the Autumne. 



7. Colchicum Neapolitan urn Fritillaricum. 

 The checkerd Medowe Saffron of Naples. 



This checkerd Medowe Saffron of Naples, is very like vnto the lad recited chec- 

 kerd Saffron of Portugall, but that the flower is fomewhat larger, yet fometimes very 

 little, or not at all : the greater! marke to diftinguifh them is, that the flowers of this 

 are of a deeper colour, and fo are the fpots on the flowers likewife, which are fo con- 

 fpicuous, that they are difcerned a great way off, more like vnto the flowers of a deepe 

 Fritillaria, then the former, and make a goodlier and a more glorious fhew : the leaues 

 of this doe rife vp early after the flowers, and are fomewhat longer, of a darker greene 

 colour, yet bending to a grayifh colour as the other, not lying fo neatly or round, but 

 ftand vp one by another, being as it were folded together : neither of both thefe laft 

 named checkerd Medowe Saffrons haue giuen any feede in this Countrey, that euer I 

 could learne or heare of, but are encreafed by the roote, which in this is like the for- 

 mer, but a little bigger. 



8. Colchicum Fritillaricum ChienJ'e. 

 The checkerd Medowe Saffron of Chio or Sio. 



This moft beautifull Saffron flower rifeth vp with his flowers in the Autumne, as 

 the others before fpecified doe, although not of fo large a fize, yet farre more pleafant 

 and delightfull in the thicke, deepe blew, or purple coloured beautifull fpots therein, 

 which make it excell all others whatfoeuer : the leaues rife vp in the Spring, being 

 fmaller then the former, for the moft part three in number, and of a paler or frefher 

 greene colour, lying clofe vpon the ground, broad at the bottome, a little pointed at 

 the end, and twining or folding themfelues in and out at the edges, as if they were in- 

 dented. I haue not feene any feede it hath borne : the roote is like vnto the others of 

 this kinde, but fmall and long, and not fo great : it flowreth later for the mort part then 

 any of the other, euen not vntill Nouember, and is very hard to be preferued with vs, 

 in that for the moft part the roote waxeth leffe and leffe euery yeare, our cold Country 

 being fo contrary vnto his naturall, that it will fcarce fhew his flower ; yet when it 

 flowreth any thing early, that it may haue any comfort of a warme Sunne, it is the 

 glorie of all thefe kindes. 



9. Colchicum iierjicolor. The party coloured Medowe Saffron. 



The flowers of this Medowe Saffron moft vfually doe not appeare, vntill molt of 

 the other Autumne forts are part, except the laft, which are very lowe, fcarce rifing 

 with their ftalkes three fingers breadth aboue the ground, -but oftentimes halfe hid 

 within the ground : the leaues whereof are fmaller, fhorter, and rounder, then in any of 

 the other before fpecified, fome being altogether white, and others wholly of a very 

 pale purple, or flefh colour ; and fome againe parted, the one halfe of a leafe white, 

 and the other halfe of the fame purple, and fometimes ftriped purple and white, in di- 

 uers leaues of one and the fame flower : and againe, fome will be the moft part of the 

 leafe white, and the bottome purple, thus varying as nature lift, that many times from 

 one roote may bee feene to arife all thefe varieties before mentioned : thefe flowers doe 

 ftand long before they fade and paffe away ; for I haue obferued in my Garden fome 

 that haue kept their flower faire vntill the beginning of January, vntill the extremitie 

 of the Winter frofts and fnowes haue made them hide their heads : the leaues there- 

 fore accordingly doe rife vp after all other, and are of a brownifh or darke greene co- 

 lour at their firft fpringing vp, which after grow to be of a deepe greene colour : the 

 roote is like the former Englifh or Hungarian kindes, but thicker and greater for the 

 moft part, and fhorter alfo. 



10. Colchicum 



