PH 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. L i b. z. 
^y The Defer if lion. 
1 nr He Citrull Cucumber hath many long, flexible, and tender ftalkes trailing vpon the 
1 around, branched like vnto the Vine, fet with certaine great leaues deeply cut, and very 
much iaao-ed ; among which come forth long clafping tendrels,and alfo tender footftalkcs,on the 
ends whereof do grow floures of a gold yellow colour : the fruit is fomewhat round, ftraked or rib- 
bed with certaine deepe furrowes alonglt the fame, of a green colour aboue,and vnderneath on that 
fide that lyethvpon the ground fomething white : the outward skin whereof is very fmooth ; the 
meat within is indifferent hard, more like to that of thePompion than of the Cucumber or Muske 
melon : the pulpe wherein the feed lieth,is fpungie, and of a flimie fubftance : the feed is long, flat, 
and areater than thofeofthc Cucumbers : the (hell or outward barke is bIackifh,fometimesofan 
ouerworne redd ilh colour. The fruit of the Citrull doth notfo eafilyrot efr putrifieasdoth the 
Melon which being gathered in a faire dry day may be kept a long time, efpecially being couered 
in a heape of wheat, as Matthiolus faith ; butaccording to my pradile you may keepe them much 
lonaer and better inaheapeofdry fand. 
2 The fecond kinde of Citrulldiffereth not front the former, failing that it is altogether lef- 
fer,and the leaues are not fo deepely cut or iagged, wherein confifteth the difference. 
^y The Place and Time. 
The Citrull profperethbeft in hot Regions, as in Sicilia, Apulia-, Calabria,and Syria, about A- 
lepo and Tripolis.Wehaue many times fown the feeds, and diligently obferued the order preferi- 
bed in planting of Cucumbers. 
The Names. 
The later Herbarifts do call it Anguria •. in {lioppes,C/rt«//»r,and C ucimiui Cilriiltm : in Englifh, 
Citruls,and Cucumber Gftruls,and the feed is knowne by the name of Semen Citrul/i : or Citrull 
feed .But i I Cucunus Curallm , be fo called of the yellow colour of the Citron, then is the common 
Cucumber properly Cucumis CitruUm : which is knowne vnto all tobecontrarie. 
The Temperature and Vertues. 
A The meat or pulpe of Cucumer Citrull which is next vnto the bark is eaten raw,but more com- 
monly boiled : it yeeldeth to the bodie little nouriihment, and the fame cold : it ingendreth a wa- 
terifhbloud,mitigateth the extremity of heat of the inner parts,and tempereththc fharpnelfeand 
feruent heat of choler: being raw and held in the mouth, it takes away the roughneffe of the tongue 
in Agues, and quencheth thirft. 
B The feeds are of the like facultie with thofe of Cucumbers. 
Chap. 343. Of the mlde Q trull called Colocynthis. 
The Defcription, 
J Oloquintida hath beene taken of many tobeakindeofthewild Gourd, it lieth along 
( creeping on the ground as doe the Cucumbers and Melons, comming neereft ofall to 
that which in thofe daies of fome Herbarifts is called Citrull Cucumber:it bringeth 
forth vpon his longbranchcs final crooked tendrels like the Vine,and alfo very great broad leaues 
deepely cut or iagged : among which come forth fmall floures of a pale yellow colour^ then com- 
meth the fruit round as a bowTe, couered with a thin rinde,ofa yellow colour when it is ripe, which 
when it is pilled or pared off, the white pulpe or fpungie fubftance appeareth full offeedes, of a 
white or elfe an ouerworne browne colour ^ the fruit fo pared or pilled, is dryed for medicine; 
the which ismoft extreame bitter, andlikewife the feede, and the whole plant it felfe in all his 
parts. 
2 The fecond kinde of Coloquintida hath likew ife many long branches and clafping tendrels,' 
wherewith it taketh holdoffuch things as are neerevnto it. It brir.geth forth the like leaues , but 
not fo much iagged.The floures are fmall and ycllow.-the fruit is faflrioned like apeare,and the o- 
ther fort roundavhercin the efpeciall difference confifteth. 
The Place. 
Coloquintida is fowne and commeth to perfedtion in hot regions, but feldome ot ueuer in thefe 
Northerly and cold countries. 
^y The 
