The Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 371 



i . Amiimnthus pnrpuretis minor. The fmall purple Flower-gentle. 



This gallant purple Veluet flower, or Flower-gentle, hath a crefted (kike two foote 

 high or more, purplifli at the bottome, but greene to the toppe, whereout groweth 

 many fmall branches, the leaues on the ftalkcs and branches arc fomcwhat broad at 

 the bottome, and fharpe pointed, of a full greene colour, and often fomewhat reddifh 

 withall, like in forme vnto the leaues of Elites (whereof this and the reft are accounted 

 //>(( />.?, or forts) or fmall Beetes : the flowers are long, fpikie, foft, and gentle tufts of 

 haires, many as it were growing together, broad at the bottome, and fmall vp at the 

 toppe, pyramis or fteeple-fafhion, of fo excellent a mining deepe purple colour, ten- 

 ding to a murrey, that in the moft excellent coloured Veluet, cannot be feene a more 

 orient colour, (and I thinke from this refpect, the French call it Paffe ve/ours, that is to 

 fay, palling Veluet in colour) without any fmell at all, which being bruifed giueth the 

 fame excellent purple colour on paper, and being gathered in his full ftrength and 

 beauty, will abide a great time (if it be kept out of the winde and funne in a dry place) 

 in the fame grace and colour : among thefe tufts lye the feede fcattered, which is fmall, 

 very blacke, and mining : the rootes are a few threddy firings, which quickly perim, 

 as the whole plant doth, at the firft approach of Winter weather. 



2. Amaranthus Coccineus. Scarlet Flower-gentle. 



The leaues of this Flower-gentle are longer, and fomewhat narrower then the for- 

 mer ; the ftalke groweth fomewhat higher, bearing his long tufts at feuerall leaues, as 

 alfo at the toppe of the ftalkes, many being fet together, but feparate one from ano- 

 ther, and each bowing or bending downe his head, like vnto a Feather, fuch as is worn 

 in our Gallants and Gentlewomens heads, of an excellent bloudy Scarlet colour : the 

 feede is blacke, like vnto the former : the roote perilheth quicklier, becaufe it is 

 more tender. 



3. Amaranthus tricolor. Spotted or variable Flower-gentle. 



The chiefeft beauty of this plant confifteth in the leaues, and not in the flowers ; for 

 they are fmall tufts growing along the ftalke, which is nothing fo high as the for- 

 mer, efpecially with vs, and at the ioynts with the leaues : the leaues hereof are of the 

 fame falhion that the former are, and pointed alfo ; but euery leafe is to be feene par- 

 ted into greene, red, and yellow, very orient and frefh (efpecially if it come to his 

 full perfection, which is in hot and dry weather) diuided not all alike, but in fome 

 leaues, where the red or yellow is, there will be greene, and fo varying, that it is very 

 pleafant to behold : the feede hereof is blacke and mining, not to bee knowne from 

 the former. 



4. Amaranthus Carnea fpica. Carnation Flower-gentle. 



There is another more rare then all the reft, whole leaues are fomewhat longer, and 

 narrower then the firft, and like vnto the fecond kinde : the fpikes are fhort, many fet 

 together, like branches hall of heads or eares of corne, euery one whereof hath fome 

 long haires fticking out from them, of a deep blulh, tending to a carnation colour. 



5. Amaranthus purpureus rnaior paniculis f par fa. 

 Great Floramour, or purple Flower-gentle. 



The great Floramour hath one thicke, tall, crefted, browne red ftalke, fiue or fix 

 foote high, from whence fpring many great broad leaues, like vnto the former for the 

 forme, but much larger & redder for the moft part, efpecially the lowert, which bran- 

 cheth forth into diuers parts, & from between thefe leaues, & the ftalks or branches, as 

 alfo at the tops of them, ftand long, fpikie, round, & fomewhat flat tufts, of a more red- 

 difh purple colour then the firft, and diuided alfo into feuerall parts, wherin when they 



are 



