LKJ 
Salmon V 'Herbal. Lib. 1. 
ol i Vagons, but rather a very large kind of Bill ort : 
of thele three kinds we fhall treat in this Chapter, 
a,. &.£yx'ovvov 'ivvJ'(yv : in Latin, Dracontrum aquali- 
cum, vel Dracunculus aquatic us •, and in Englijh , 
Water Dragon, or Dragon-wort j of which in the 
next Chapter. 
III. The Defcriptions. T he fir ft, or Greater Dra- 
gon, has a thick tuberous Root , like to a Knob , ma- 
ny times of the Magnitude of a middle-fized Apple, 
white, covered with a thi/t Feel , full of white little 
Fibres appendent' thereto, continuing many Fears, ve- 
ry white within , and like unto Aron-root, tufting 
fomewhat Jharft like to it. From this Root riles rap 
a ftraight Stalk, a Cubit and half high or higher, 
which is thick, round, fmooth, whitifh and hare or. 
naked, but fpotted very much with purplifh Spots 
and Strakes, or with Spots of divers colors, like 
thofe of the Adder and fome other Serpents. This 
Stalk bears a few green Leaves, Handing upon long 
Foot-ltalks, much divided on all hands • they are 
great and wide, each Leaf eonfifting of feven or 
more joined together in order, every one of which 
is long and narrow, much like to the Leaves of 
Dock, fmooth and llippery. Out of the top of the 
Stalk, in the middle thereof, comes forth a great 
long Husk or Hofe, (if the Root is old enough) 
greater than that of the Cuckow-pint or Aron, of a 
greenifh color on the outlide, and of a crimfon or 
dark purplifh color on the infide •, with a long llen- 
der Peftel or Clapper in the middle thereof* which 
is blackifh and pointed like a Horn , the Skin or 
Film whereof, when the Seed grows big, being 
ft retched or broken afunder, there appears the Fruit, 
like to a Bunch or Clufter of Grapes -, the Berries 
whereof at firlt are green, afterwards red and full of 
Juice, in which is contained Seed, which is fome- 
thing hard. 
IV. The fecond, or Small Dragon, has a Root not 
unlike to Aron-root, having the Form of a Bulb, full 
oj Fibres or Strings, with divers rude Shapes of new 
P lants, by which it greatly encreafes. The whole 
Plant is much like to Aron in its Leaves, Hofe or 
Husk, Peftel and Berries, (and feems to me to be 
the letter fort of Aron ) the Leaves are fpotted ei- 
ther with white or brownifh Spots, and perifli not 
prefently, but endure together with the Berries, e- 
ven till Winter ; and the Berries are not of a deep 
red, but of a color enclining to Saffron,. 
V. The third , or Great Dragon of Matthiolu ■. 
has a round bulbous Root , larger fome thing than she 
former, with many Fibers at bottom thereof • from 
which rifes one large, high, upright Stalk, with ve- 
ry great Leaves thereon, folded and lapped one 
within another ; at the top of the Stalk comes form 
