The (far den of plea) ant t lowers, 
night, and neueropenethagaine, but perifheth, and then hangeth downe his head a- 
gaine 5 the grcene huske of three leaues, clofing it felfe againe into the forme of a head , 
butgreater, as it was before , the middle vmbooe growing to bcethefeede veffell* 
wherein is contained fmall , blackiih, long feede : Seldome fhall any man fee aboue 
one, or two at the moft of thefe flowers blowneopen at one time vpon the ftalke 
whereby it ftandeth in flowring a longtime , before all the heads haue giuen out their 
flowers» 
The Place. 
115 
This plant groweth in fome parts of Virginia, and was deliuered to Iohn 
Tradefcant. 
The Time. 
It flowreth from the end of May vntill Iuly , if it haue had greene leaues 
ail die Winter, or otherwife, vntill the Winter checke his Iuxurioufneffe. 
The Names. 
V nto this plant I confeffe I firft impofed the name, by confidtring duely 
all the parts thereof, which Vntill fome can findc a more proper, Idefire 
may ftili continue, and to call it Efhcmtrum Firginuaum Tradefcunti, Iohn 
Tradefcante’s Spider- wort of Virginia, or Phdanginm Ephemcram FirgiaU- 
num, ThefooncfadingorDaySpider-wortofVirginia. 
The Vcrtues. 
There hath not beerte arty tryall made of the properties fince wee hadic, 
nor doe we know whether the Indians haue any vfe thereof. 
Chap. XVI. 
Colchicam. Medowe Saffron. 
T O returnetothe reft ofthe bulbous and tuberous rooted plants , that remaine 
to bee entreated of, the Colchica, or Medowe Saffrons are firft to bee handled, 
whereof thefe later dayes haue found out more varieties, then formerly were 
knowne ; fome flowring in the Spring, but the moft in Autumne, and Ibtne bearing 
double, but thegreateft part Angle flowers : whereof euery one in their order, and 
firft of ourowne Country kindes. 
1 . Colchicam Anglicam album . The white Engliih Medowe Saffron. 
It is common to all the Medowe Saffrons, except that of the Spring, and one other , * 1 
to beare their flowers alone in Autumne or later, without any green leaues with them, 
and afterwards in February, their greene leaues : Sothatlfhallnotneedetomake ma- 
nie deferiptions, but to fliew you the differences that confift in the leaues, and colours 
of the flowers ; and briefly to paffe (after I haue giuen you a full defeription of the 
firft) from one vnto another, touching onely thofe things that are note worthy. The 
white Englifh Medowe Saffron then doth beare in Autumne three or foure flowers at 
the moft, (landing feuerally vpon weake foote-ftalkes, a fingers length or mote aboue 
theground, made of fix white leaues, fomewhat long and narrow, and not fo largeas 
moft ofthe other kindes, with fome threeds or chiuesin the middle, like vnto the 
Saffron flowers of the Spring, wherein there is no colour of Saffron , or vertue to that 
effeift: after the flowers are pad and gone, the leaues doe not prefently follow, but 
the roote remaineth in the ground without (hew of leafe aboue ground, moft part of 
the Winter, and then in February there fpring vp three or foure large and long greene 
leaues. 
