The (far den of plea/ant Flowers. 
444 - 
Chap. cxvii. 
Xae* put Imcci. The fuppofed Indian Iucca. 
T His rare Indian plant hath a great thicketuberousroote (fpreading in time in- 
to many tuberous heads) from the head whereof (hoottth forth many long, 
hard, and guttured leaues, very (harpe pointed , compaffing as it were one an- 
other at the bottome, ofa gray irtl greene colour , which doe not fall away , but abide 
euergreene on the plant ; from the middle whereof fpringeth forth (nowand then, 
but not euery yeare) a ftrong round ftalke, diuided into diuers branches, whereon 
ftanddiuerswhite,andfomewhat large flowers, hanging downc their heads, con li- 
fting of fix leaues, with diuers veines, ofa weake reddifh or blufh colour, fpread on the 
backeofthe three outer leaues, efpecially from the middle of the leaues to the bot- 
tome, andnotrifingto theedgeof the leafe of any flower, which fail away without 
bearing any feede in our Country, as farre as euer could beobferued either in the plane 
that Mailer Gerard kept a long time by him, or by Robinus at Paris his plant, which 
Mafter Gerard fent vnto him, or yet by that planr, that V efpafian Robin the (onne of 
old Robin fent vnto Mafter Iohn de Franqucuille,and now abideth and fleuriflicth in 
py Garden. 
The Place. 
It was firft brought into England (as Mafter Gerard faith) from the Weft 
Indies, by a feruant of Mafter Thomas Edwards, an Apothecary of Exeter, 
and imparted to him, who kept it vnto his death : but perifhed with him 
that got it from his widow, intending to fend it to his Country houfe. 
** { * i, j n > it t a a * 
The Time. 
It flowreth not vntill luly , and the flowers fall away fodainely, after 
they haue bcene bio wne open a while. 
ThcNamcj. 
Mafter Gerard firft as I thinke called it Inca , fuppofing it to bee the true 
Tmct of rbtnct , wherewith the Indians make bread, called Ciffttnn : but the 
true Inca is deferibed to haue a leafe diuided into feuen or nine parts, which 
thishathnot : Yet not knowing by what better name to call it, let it hold 
ft ill his firft impofition, vntill a fitter may begiuen it. 
TheVertues. 
Wee haue not heard of any, that hath either read, heard , or experimen- 
ted the faculties hereof, nor yet whetherit hath good or euili tafte ; for be- 
ing rare, andpoflefled butbyafew, they that haue it are lothto’cutany 
thereof, forfeareof fpoilingandlofingthe whole roote. 
Some haue affirmed , thatin feme parts ofTurkie, where asthey fay this 
plant growetli , they makca kinde of cloth from the threads are found run- 
ning through theleaues ; bur I finde the threads are fo ftrong and hard , that 
fhis cannot be that plant the relators meanc is vfed in that manner. 
Chap. 
r 
