95 L 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
L i b. z. 
«[[ The Defcription. 
1 r T' He common Crow-foot hath leaues diuided into many parts, commonly three,fome- 
times- flue, cut here and therein the edges, of a deepegreene colour, in which ftand 
diners white fpots : the ftalkes be round, fomething haine, fome of them bow downe 
toward the ground, and put forth many little roots, whereby it taketh hold of the ground as it mu- 
lct h along : fome of them ftand vpright, a foot high or higher - on the tops whereof grow fmall 
floures with fine leaues apiece, of a yellow glittering colour like gold : in the middle part of thefc 
flo tires (land certaine fmall threds of like colour : which being paft, the feeds follow, made vp in a 
rough ball: the roots are white and threddy. 
2 The fecond kinde of Crow-foot is likevntothe precedent, failing that his leaues are fatter, 
thicker, and greener, and his fmall twiggy ftalkes ftand vpright, othenvife it is like :of which kind 
it chanced, that walk ing in the field next to the Theatre by London, in the company of a worlhip. 
full merchant named M r . Nicolas Lete, I found one of this kinde therewith double floures, which 
before that time I had not fcene . 
The Pi, ice. 
They grow of themfelues in paftures and medowes almoft cuery where. 
The Time. 
They floure in May and many moncths after. r 
The Names. 
Crow-foot is called of Lohel , Ranunculus pratenfis : of Dodonxus, Ranunculus hortenfis , but vnpro- 
perly : of Plmy, Polyanthemum, which he faith diuers name Batrachion : in high-Dutch, tills? 
bluom: in low Dutch, 250 tCC blocmetl tin Englifh, King Kob,Gold cups, Gold knobs,Crovvfoor, 
and Butter-floures. 
«f The Defcription. 
3 The third kinde of Crow- foot, called in Latine Ranunculus aruorum, becaufe it growes com- 
monly in fallow fields where come hath bcene lately fowne,and may be called Corne Crow-foot' 
hath for the moft part an vpright ftalke of a foot high, which diuides it felfe into other branches ; 
whereon do grow fat thicke leaues very much cut or iagged,refembling theleaues of Sampire.buc 
nothing fogreene, but rather ofanouerworne colour .The floures grow at the top of the branches 
compact of hue fmall leaues of a faint yellow colour : after which come in place clufters of rough 
and fharpe pointed feeds. The root is fmall and threddy. 
4 The fourth Crow-foot, which is called Ranunculus Alpinus, becaufe thofe that hatte firft writ- 
ten thereof haue not found itelfewhere but vpon the Alpifh mountains(notwithftanding it grow- 
eth in England plentifully wilde,efpecially in a wood called Hampfted Wood, and is planted in 
gardens) harh diuers great fat branches two cubits high, fet with large leaues like the common 
Crow-foot, but greater, of a deepe greene colour, much like to thofe of the yellow Aconite, called 
Aconitum luteum Ponticum. The floures confiftoffiue white leaues, with fmall yellow chines in the 
middle, fmelling like the floures of May or Haw-thorne,but more pleafant. The roots are grea- 
ter than any of the ftocke of Crow- feet. 
C The Place and Time. 
Their place of growing is touched in their defcription : their time of flouring and feeding ani 
fwereth the other of their k indes . 
The Names. 
The white Crow-foot of the Alps and French mountaines is the fourth of Diofcorides his 
defcription •, for he deferibeth his fourth to haue a white floure : more hath not bin faid touching 
the names, yet Tahtrn. calls it Batrachium album : in Englifh, white Crow-foot. 
The Defcription. 
ST Among the wilde Crow-feet there is one that is fyrna'med Jllyricus, which brings forth (len- 
der ftalks,round,a'ndofameane length .-whereupon doe grow long narrow leauescut into many 
long ga flies, fomthing white, and couered with a certaine downindfe : the floures be of a pale yel- 
low colour: the root confifteth of many fmall bumpes as it were graines of corne, or little long 
bulbes growing clofe together like thofe ofPilevvort. It is reported, that it was firft brought out 
of Illyria into Italy, and from thence into the Low-Countries : notvvithftanding we haue it grow- 
ing very eommon in England. f But only in gardens that I haue feene. f 
6 Thefixth kinde of Crow-foot, called Ranunculus bulhofus, or Onion rooted Crow-foot, and 
round rooted Crow-foot, hath a round knobby or onion-fafhioned root, likevnto a fmall Turnep, 
and of the bignefle ofa great Oliue : from the which tifes vp many leaues fpred vpon the ground, 
like thole of the field Crow-foot, but fmaller,and of an ouerworne greene colour :amongft which 
rife vp flender ftalkes of the height ofa foot : whereupon do grow floures ofa feint yellow colour. 
J Thisgroweswildeinmoft places, and floures at the beginning of May. f 
f The 
