Lib. i . Of the Hiftory of Plants. 037 
fomething white about theedges, but in the 
middle of a fine purple : in the middeft of this 
floure ftandeth forth a knap or peftel,as yellow 
as gold : it openeth it felfe about eight of the 
clocke, and fhutteth vp againe at noone, about 
twelueaclockwhcn it hath receiued the beams 
of the Sun, for two or three houres, whereon it 
fhould feeme to reioice to look, and for whofe 
departure, being then vpon the point of declen- 
fion, itfeemes to grieue, and fo fhuts vp the 
floures that were open, andneuer opens them 
againe ; whereupon it might more properly be 
called Malva horana,or theMallow of an houre: 
and this Columella feemeth to call Moloche, in 
thisverfe i ^ 
: Et Moloche, Vrono fequitur qua 'vertice folemi 
The feed is contained in thicke rough blad- 
ders, whereupon Dodonxm calleth it AlceaVe- 
Jicaria.-within thefe bladders or feed velTels are 
contained blacke feed , not vnlike to thofe of 
NigelU Rrwzawa. The root is finalland tender, &c 
perrfheth when the feed is ripe,andmuftbe in- 
creafed by new and yearely lowing of the feed, 
carefully referued. 
2 Thorn Mallowrifeth vp with onevprighc 
flalk of two cubits high, diuiding it felfe into 
diuers branches, whereupon are placed leaues 
deeply cut to the middle rib, and likewife fnipt 
about the edges like a faw, in tafte like Sorrel 
the floures forthe mod part thruft forth of the 
trunke or body of the fmall ftalke, compa&offiue fmall leaues, ofayellowifh colour i the middle 
part whereof is of a purple tending to redneffe:the husk or cod wherein the floure doth ftand is fee 
or armed with fliarpe thornes : the root is fmall, Angle, and moll impatient of our cold clymate,in- 
fomuch that when I had with great induftrie nourifhed vp fome plants from the feed, and kept 
them vnto the midft of May ; notwithftanding one cold night chancing among many, hath deftroi- 
ed them all. 
i 3 Thisalfo is a ftrangercut leaned MalIow,whichC/»/?«!! hath fetforthby the nameof Al- 
cea tAZgyptia :a.n& Proper Alpmus by the title of Bammiu: the ftalke is round, ftraighr, green, fome cu- 
bit and lialfe highivpon which without order grow leaues at the bottome of the ftalk, like thofe of 
Mallow, cornered, and fnipt about the edges , but from the middle of the ftalke to the top they are 
cut in with fiue deep gafhes like as the leaues of the laftdeferibed: the floures grow forth by the 
fidesoftheftalke,informeandcolomTikethofeofthelaftmentioned,towit, with fiue yellowifh 
leaues : after thefe follow long thicke fiue cornered hairy and fharpe pointed feed veifels, contai- 
ning a feed like Orobios, couered with a little downineffe : this growes in Egypt, where they eat the 
fruit thereof as we do Pcafe and Beanes : ^Alpinus attributes diuers vertues to this plant, agreeable 
to thofe ofthe common Marfh-mallow. $ 
«1[ The Place. 
The feeds hereof haue been brought out of Spaine and other hot countries. The firft prolpereth 
well in my garden from yeare to yeare. 
The Time. 
They are to be fowne in the moft fertill ground and funnie places of the garden, in the be- 
ginning of May, or in the end of Aprill. 
The Names. 
Their names hauebeene fufficiently touched in their feueraldefcriptions. The firft may be cal- 
led in Englifh.Venice-mallow, Good-night at noone,or the Mallow flouring but an houre : of Mat- 
thiolus it is called Hypecoonfil Rue Poppie,but vnproperly . 
Hy The Temperature and Vertues. 
There is a certaine clammie iuice in the leaues of the Venice V allow, whereupon it is thought A 
to 
J 3 AlceatMgyptia. 
The /Egyptian Codded Mallow. 
