Of the Biftorie of Plants. 
L I B. 2. 
H4- 
fting but onely one day, like the true Ephemerum or Hemerocallis. This maruellous varietie doth' 
notwitbout caufe bring admiration to all that obferue it. For ifthe flowers be gathered and re- 
ferued in feuerall papers, and compared with thofe flowers that will fpring and flourifh the next 
day, you (hall ealily pcrceiue that one is not like another in colour, though you fhould compare i 
■one hundred] which flower one day, and another hundred which you gathered the next day • and 
fo from day to day during the time of their flowring. The cups and huskes which containc and 
embrace the flowers arediuided into flue pointed fedtions, which are greene,and,as it were, confi- 
ning of skinnes, wherein is contained one feede and no more, couered with a blackifh skinne, ha- 
uing a blunt point whereon the flower groweth ; but on the end next the cup or huske it is ador- 
ned' with a little fine cornered crowne. T he feed is as bigge as a pepper come, which of it felfe 
fadeth with any light motion. Within this feeae is contained awhitekernell,whichbeingbrui- 
fed,refoluethintoa very white pulpe like ftarch. The root is thickeand likevnto agreatradifh, 
outwardly blacke,and within white, (harpe in tafte,w herewith is mingled a fuperficiall fweetnes. 
It brinueth new floures from Iuly vnto Odtober in infinite number, yea euen vntill the (rods doe 
caufe the whole plant to perifh : notwithftanding it may be referued in pots, and fet in chambers 
and cellars that are warme, and fodefended from the iniurieof our coldclimate ; prouidedal- 
waies that there be not any water call vpon the pot, or fet forth to take any moifture in the aire vn- 
till March following ; at which time it mull bee taken forth of the pot and replanted in the 
garden. By this meanes I haue preferued many (though to fmall purpofe) becaufe I haue fowne 
feeds that haue borne floures in as ample manner and in as good time as thofe referued plants. 
Oftliis wonderfull herbe there be other forts, but not foamiable or fo full of varietie, and for 
the mod part their floures are all of one color. But I haue fince bypraSife found out another way 
to keepe the roots for the yeare following with very little difficu!tie,which neuer faileth. At the 1 
firft froft I digvptherootesandput vpor rather hide the roots in abutter fcrkin,or fuch likevef- ■ 
fell, filled with the (and of a riuer,the which I fuft'er ftill to ftand in feme corner of a houfe where 
it neuer receiueth moifture vntill Aprill or the midft of March, if the weather be warmest which i 
time I take it from the fand and plant it in the garden, where it doth flourifh exceeding well and 
increafeth by roots; which that doth not which was either foivneof feed the fame yeare, nor thofe 
plants that were preferued after the other manner. 
The P lace. 
The feed oftliis ftrange plant was brought firft into Spaine, from Peru, whereof it tooke his ; 
name Mir ahilia Peruana, or Ptrumana : and fince difperfed into all the parts of Europe : the which i 
my felfe haue planted many yeares, and haue in fome temperate yeares receiued both floures and t 
ripe feed. 
«y TheTirne . 
It is fowne in the midft of Aprill, and bringeth forth his variable floures in September, and pc- 
xifhethwith the firftfroft,exceptitbekeptas aforefaid. 
The Names. 
It is called in Peru of thofe Indians there, Hachal.Qi others after their name Hachal Indi : of the 
high and low “Dutch, Solamim Odorifcrum : of fome , Iafimnum mexicamm .-.and of Carolus Clufius, 
<_ Adnurabiha Peruuiana : in Englifh rather the Maruell of the World, than of Peru alone. 
^y The Nature and Vert ues. 
We haue not as yctanyinftruflions from the people of India concerning the nature or vertues ; 
oftliis plant: the which is efteemed as yet ratherfor his rarenelTe, beautie,and fweetnefleof his ) 
floures, than for any vertues hnownejbut it is a pleafant plant todecke the gardens of the curious. . 
Howbeit Iacdhus Antonius Corfu f, is of Padua hath by experience found out, that two drams of the . 
root thereof taken inwardly doth very notably purge waterifh humours. 
Chap. 59. Of (SKAaddc etA pplcs. 
- ^y The Dcfcription. 
R Aging Apples Iiatfi a round ftalke of two foot high, diuided into fundry branches, fet with ! 
broad leaues fomewhat indented about the edges, not vnlike the leaues ofwhite Henbane, : 
of a darke brovvne greene colour, fomewhat rough. Among the which come the floures 
of) 
