228 The Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 



CHAP. XXX. 



Geranium. Storkes bill or Cranes bill. 



AS was faid before concerning the Crowfeet, of their large extent and reftraint, 

 the like may be faid of the Storkes bils or Cranes bils ; for euen of thefe as of 

 them, I muft tor this worke fet forth the defcriptions but of a few, and leaue 

 the reft to a generall worke. 



i. Geranium tuberofum vel bulbofum. Bulbous or knobbed Cranes bill. 



The knobbed Cranes hath three or foure large leaues fpread vpon the ground, of a 

 grayifh or rather dufty greene colour, euery one of them being as it were of a round 

 forme, but diuided or cut into fix or feuen long parts or diuifions, euen vnto the mid- 

 dle, which maketh it feeme to be fo many leaues, each of the cuts or diuifions being 

 deeply notched or indented on both fides; among which rifeth vp a ftalke a foote 

 high or better, bearing thereon diuers pale but bright purple flowers, made of fiue 

 leaues a peece, after which come fmall heads with long pointed beakes, refembling 

 the long bill of a Storke or Crane, or fuch like bird, which after it is ripe, parteth at 

 the bottome where it is biggeft, into foure or fiue feedes, euery one whereof hath a 

 peece of the beake head faftened vnto it, and falleth away if it bee not gathered : the 

 roote is tuberous and round, like vnto the roote of the Cyclamen or ordinary Sowbread 

 almoft, but fmaller, and of a darke ruflet colour on the outfide, and white within, 

 which doth encreafe vnder ground, by certaine firings running from the mother root 

 into fmall round bulbes, like vnto the rootes of the earth Chefnut, and will prefently 

 fhoote leaues, and quickly grow to beare flowers, but will not abide to be kept long 

 dry out of the ground, without danger to be vtterly fpoiled. 



Geranium Batrachoides Jfore cceruleo. The blew Crowfoote Cranes bill. 



This Crowfoote Cranes bill hath many large leaues, cut into fiue or fix parts or di- 

 uifions, euen to the bottome, and iagged befides on the edges, fet vpon very long 

 flender foote-ftalkes, very like the leaues of the wilde Crowfoot ; from among which 

 rife vp diuers ftalkes with great ioynts, fomewhat reddifh, fet with leaues like the for- 

 mer : the toppes of the ftalkes are fpread into many branches, whereon ftand diuers 

 flowers, made of fiue leaues a peece, as large as any of the wilde or field Crowfeete, 

 round pointed, of a faire blew or watchet colour, which being paft, there doe arife 

 fuch heads or bils, as other of the Cranes bils haue : the roote is compofed of many 

 reddifh firings, fpreading in the ground, from a head made of diuers red heads, which 

 lye oftentimes eminent aboue the ground. 



Geranium Batrachoides JJore albo. The white Crowfoote Cranes bill. 



This Cranes bill is in leafe and flower altogether like the former, the onely diffe- 

 rence betweene them confifteth in the colour of the flower, which in this is wholly 

 white, and as large as the former : but the roote of this hath not fuch red heads as the 

 other hath. 



Geranium Batracfwides Jfore albo & caruleo varzo. 

 The party coloured Crowfoote Cranes bill. 



The flowers of this Cranes bill are variably ftriped and fpotted, and fometimes di- 

 uided, the one halfe of euery leafe being white, and the other halfe blew, fometimes 

 with lefler or greater fpots of blew in the white leafe, very variably, and more in fome 

 years then in others, that it is very hard to exprefTe all the varieties that may be obfer- 

 ued in the flowers, that blow at one time. In all other parts of the plant, it is fo like vnto 

 the former, that vntill it be in flower, the one cannot be knowne from the other. 



Geranium 



