Chap. 668. Englijh Herbs. iioj 
above half a yard high. It has long , narrow , 
whitifh green Leaves like unto Lavender , but foft- 
er and /mailer. Jet at fever a l di fiances about the 
Stalks , which Jpread into fever al Branches : at 
the Tops of which come forth long and round , 
and fometimes four fquare heads , of a dark green- 
Stcechas common or Cajjidony. 
ifh purple color , com pall of many Scales : from 
which come forth the flowers of a blewifh pur- 
ple color , after which follow the Seed Kef] els, which 
are a little whitifh when they are ripe , and con- 
tain within them blackifh brown Seed. 
IV. Gerard deferibes it thus. Its Root is hard 
and woody ■, it has a Body like Lavender, fhort and 
of a woody fubfiance but flenderer, befet with 
long narrow Leaves of a whitifh color , lejfer than 
thefe of Lavender. It has in its Top bufhy or 
fpiky heads, well compatl or thruft together -, out 
of which grow forth fmall purple flowers of a 
pie a f ant fnell ■, the Seed is fmall and blackifh. 
V. The fecond, or Common Stcechas with 
white flowers. This differs not much in its Roots, 
Stalks, Leaves, Seed, form and manner of its 
growing , from Our ordinary Garden Cajjidony be- 
fore deferibed, but only in its flowers, which are 
much like thofe alfo in fhape, but not in color. In 
this Plant the Leaves grow thick together upon 
the Branches, a little larger, and not altogether 
fo white -, the heads are fhort likewife, but the 
flowers Jlarting from among the Scales are larger 
than in the former, and of a pure white color. This 
fort is very rare to be met zvith. 
VI. The third, or Stcechas, or French Lavender 
with long Leav’d Heads. Its Root is woody , long , 
flender, and accompanied with Branches, Strings, 
and Fibres like the firfl, from which the whole 
Plant in its form differs not much. In this the 
Tops of the Branches are bare, without Leaves 
upon them for the /pace of 4 or 5 Inches or 
more, unto the heads. And the heads of thefe 
are not fully fo large as in the other, but longer 
having divers hard , fliff, and longer skinny pur - 
pUJh Leaves, rifing up above thefe heads, than 
at any time are Jeen in any of the former-, which 
in fome places have a flew of fame fhort pieces , 
like unto the skinny Leaves, of a purple or blew 
color. The Flowers and Seed are alfo like the firff, 
andfo is its fnell or odour. 
VII. The fourth or Stcechas or French Lavender 
with dented Leaves. Its Root is much like the 
Roots of the former kinds. And it has fuch like 
Stalks, with fquare, brittle, flender, hoary branches, 
on which grow very long narrow Leaves, nicked 
round about the edges , or Toothed like a Saw, 
not much unlike thofe of Lavender Cotton: of 
thefe Leaves many grow together, and they are 
fo dented or notched about the edges, that they ap- 
pear Cur Pd or Crumpled, green on the upper fide 
and hoary underneath, of a hot tajle , fomewhat 
bitter. The Tops of the Branches end in fome- 
what long fquare Stalks, which are naked and 
without Leaves unto the Jpiked heads, which arc 
Scaly, flenderer and longer than any of thofe be- 
fore deferibed. The flowers are like unto thofe 
alfo, but of a more purple color , and the Seed 
is without any difference. At the Tops of the 
heads, comes forth alfo, fuch like skinny Leaves, 
of a blewifh purple color like the former. 
VIII. The fifth or Sweet Purple Stcechas. Its 
Root is woody, hard, long, and blackifh : from 
whence fhoot forth woody and hoary branches, on 
which do grow many long and narrow Leaves, 
of a dark green color on the upper fide, and a 
little hairy withall, but of an hoary white under- 
neath, and very woolly, a little dented about the 
edges , or rather rough. It rifes up to be about 
half .a yard high , leaning down its branches , 
fpreading it f elf more in compafs than it extends 
its felf in height. At the Tops of the Branches 
comes forth fometimes but one flower or head 5 
but more often two long heads together, compofed 
of many Scales, at the Tops whereof fland the 
flowers, which are nothing but long Thrums or 
Threds, of an excellent purple color, and very 
fweet in fmell, being very pleafant to the fight. 
After the flowers are paft, follows the Seed 
wrapped up in Down, within thofe Scaly Heads , 
fomewhat like to the fmall Tine Thifile Seed. 
This Plant Parkinfon thinks ought to be placed 
with the Jacea’s or Knapweeds, as being a Species 
of them, rather than here with the Stoechas’s .* 
but if you confidcr the form of the leaf and man- 
ner of its growing, it feems to be rather of the 
kindred of the Stcechas's, than any thing elfe , for 
which reafon it is put here. 
IX. The Places. The firft grows in Arabia , 
Spain , Italy, and Trance. The fecond in CafiHe 
in Spain. The third in Italy , and Spain , and Trance. 
The fourth and fifth, in Italy and Trance-. They 
all of them grow alfo in England , but with us 
they are Nurtt up in Gardens. 
X. The Timet. Tho’ moll of thefe flower more 
early in their own Native Climates, than with us, 
as the three firlt in March and April ’ and the 
two laft in July and AuguJ. Yet in Our Gar- 
dens the two firft flower 1101 till May or Jane ■ 
and the two latter not till AuguJ, if they do abide! 
They are tender Plants and mull be Sown in the 
end of April, and covered in Winter trom the 
Cold, or elfe fet in Pots, Tubs, or Wooden 
Chefts, fill’d with Earth, to be carried into 
Houfes when the Cold Seal'on begins ; by reafon 
of 
