Chap. 609. “Engliflj Herbs . 
919 
XXIV. Kota. AIL the feverall forts of Rujhes 
have one and the fame Virtues : but the Bull- 
Rujhes as they are moft effectual to the purpofes 
intended , fo they are only or chiefly in life. 
CHAP. DCIX. 
0/ RUSH NUT, 
O R, 
EDIBLE CYPERUS. 
I. ' I v H E K times. It may be called, in Greeks 
X Kemp©- Ketfun&t , x) , xagv'iv®- : in 
Latine , Cyperus dulcis rotunda efculent us, Traji 
dulce vocatus Cyperus ejculentus J uncus nuceus , 
Cyperus nuceus : in Englifb , The Nut Rujh , Nut 
Cyperus , Edible Cyperus -, and fiy fome the Rujh 
Nut , or Cyperus Nut. 
II. The Kinds. We have but one Species of 
this Plant, whofe name in Greek , Ctefalpinus , Clu- 
fusy Columna , and Dalehampius upon Pliny , think 
to be the h/Uhtvakd.KM , Malinathalla Theopbrafti , 
and that it is the Anthalium Phnij : it is alfo called 
Dulcichinum ■, and by the Italians , Traji, by which 
name the Roots are cryed up and down the Streets 
in Italy, as Oranges and Lintons are cryed here. By 
the Sicilians , called, Cajlanalos , becaufe the Roots 
tafle like Cbeftnuts. 
'The Defcription. 
III. The Roots of this Plant are /mail , /cw£, and 
round , and many of them f mailer at the one end, 
than at the other , hanging or growing at the ends oj 
Rujh Nut Flowering. 
lorn Strings, Something like tothe manner of growing 
of the Virginia Potatoes,?/ a pale rediijh color on the 
out fide, and white and firm within, of the bignefs 
of large Beans. They have a Jweet Smelt, no 
bitter or aromatickTafie, as the other Sweet Cyperus 
or Englifh Galangal has ; but they are pleafant to 
the Taftt, eating like Cheftnuts* or rather more de- 
licately. The Leaves of this Plant are long and 
narrow like the other Cyperus’r in Chap. 187. afore- 
going, with a thick Ridge in the middle , and Jbarp 
pointed, being about half a Lard in length, from 
among which rife up the Stalks, fmooth and without 
Joints, three Jquare or triangular, very near two 
Feet high: at the tops of which ft and five or fix nar- 
row Leaves, comparing the Stalk, and j landing like 
a Star-, out of the bottoms of which come forth pale, 
yellowifh f piked Ears , which are the Flowers, and 
in which lyes the Seed, after that their color is per- 
JeUly wafted and decayed. Where note, the Root of 
Rujh Nut without ¥ lowers. 
that without Flowers is hot fo pcrfeUly deliniated 
as it fhould be, for fometimes one St ring has more 
than one, yea fome times, two, three, or more Tubers 
adjoining to them as in the fir ft Cut. 
IV. Johnfon in Gerard Defer ibes it thus. The 
Italian Trail is a Plant that has many fmall Roots, 
hanging at Jtringy Fibres, as our Ordinary Drop- 
w on Roots do j but they are of the bignefs of a lit- 
tle Medlar, and have one end fiat, and m it were 
Crowned like a, Medlar: and it has alfo Jeveral 
f reaks of Lines , feeming to divide it into fever al 
parts. It is of a brownifh color without, and white ’ 
wlhtf, the Taj} e whereof is fweet almoft hkc a 
Cheltnut. I he Leaves are very like thofe of the 
Garden Cyperus, and never exceed a Cubit in 
length. It ss encreafcd by fetting the Roots, at 
WateT™ 1 ^ November > bein & f’f J he P ed m 
V. Not a. Pona in his Defcription of Mount 
Baldus, confidently affirms, thar hi had found it 
by experience, in fullering the Plant to grow un- 
^ 1 2 remov’d 
