Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
Lib. 5 
! 57 9 
The Defcriptm , 
1 THe firft kinde of Tamariske groweth like a fmall hedge tree, couered with areddifh 
A barke,hauing many branches fet and bedeckt with Ieaues,much like vnto Heath .-among 
which come forth fmall raoffie white flotires declining to purple, which turne into a pappous <5 
downie feed, that flieth away with the winde,as that of Willow doth: the root is wooddie as the 
toots oforher fbrubs be, and groweth diuers waies. 
2 TheGermane Tamariskehathmanywooddiebranchesorfhootsrifingfromtheroot,with 
a white bark.hauing his leaues thicker and gr offer than the former, and not fo finely iagged or cut : 
The floures are reddilh.and larger than the former, growing not vpon foot-ftalkes,many thick clu- 
ttering together, as thofe of the former, but each a pretty diftance from another on the tops of the 
branches fpike faff. ion, and begin to floure below:which do turne into feed, that is likevvife carried, 
aWay with the wiude. 
The Place. 
Tamariske groweth by running ftreames, and many times by riuers that breake forth, and not 
feldome about fenny grounds .commonly in a grauelly foile,for it beft profpereth in moift and fto- 
nyplaces: itis found in Germany,Vindelicia,ItaIy,Spaine,andalfoin Greece. 
The Tamarisks do alfo grow in Egypt and Syria, as Diofcondes writeth,and likevvife in Tylus an curly 
Ifland in Arabians Theophraftus noteth: the wood wherof, faith he, is not weak as with vs in Greece, * 
but ftrong like«,pm,»,or timber, or any other ftrong thing : this Tamariske Diofcorides doth cairj’^j t ._YJ.'£. 
v*>w.that is to fay, tame, or planted , and faith that it bringeth forth fruit very like to Galls, in tafte _ 
rough and binding. ( 
Petrus Bellomus in his fecondbookeof Angularities reporteth, that hee faw in Egypt very high 
Tamarisks and great like other trees, and that fometimes in moift places by riuers fides.and many 
times alfo in dry and grauelly grounds where no other trees did grow, which now and then did 
beare hanging on the boughes fuch a multitude of Galls, that the inhabitants cMChermafefas be- 
ing ouer loden,they were ready to breake. Boththefe grow and profper well in gardens with vs 
here in England. 
The Time. 
Thefe trees or fhrubs floure in May, and in the later end of Auguft, their feed is carried away 
with the wind. 
:s.y- 
9^ The Names. 
They are called in Greekeiue«« and in Latine alfo M fried, and Tamarix : in (liops.TamarifcKs -.of 
Oclauius H oraliMtujJMurtca : D to fcor ides maketh that which groweth in Greece and Italy to be 
orWilde Tamariske.-it is named in high Dutch ^atnattfcflctj tjolfe, and ^0£l$ : in low Dutch, 
31btnb00m, 'CattiatlftfybOOnU: in Italian, 'Tmangio: in Spanifh, Tamarguir a, and T aman ^ m 
French, Tamaru : in Englifh, Tamariske. 
TheTempcrature andVertues. 
Tamariske hath a clenfing and cutting facultie with a manifeft drying; it is alfo fomewhat A ! 
aftringent or binding, and by reafon of thefe qualities it is very good for an hard fpleen, being boy- 
led with vineger or wine, either the root or leaues, or tender branches, as Galen writeth. 
Moreouer Diofcoridcs teacheth,that the decoftion of the leaues made with wine, doth wafte the B 
fpleene,and that the fame is good againft the tooth-ache,if the mouth be wafhed therewith .-that 
it bringeth downetheMenfes,if the patient fit therein • that it killeth lice and nits, if the parts be 
bathed therewith. 
The afhesofburnt Tamariske hath a drying facultie, and greatly fcouringwithall, and alittle C 
binding. 
The floures and downie feed of the greater Tamariske doth greatly binde, infomuch as it com- D 
meth very neere to the Gall named GallaOmphacitisfxiX. that the rougbneffe of tafte is moreeuidenc 
in the Gall ; the which floures are ofanvncquall temperature, for there is ioined to the nature ther- 
ofa great thinnefle of parts, and clenfing facultie, which the Gall hath not, as Ga/e»wrireth. 
Tbefe floures we fitly vfe (faith Dio fcor.) in ftead of Gall, in medicines for theeiesand mouth; E 
It is good to ftanch bloud.and to ftay the laske and womens whites, ithelpeththe yellow iaun- E 
dice.and alfocureth thofe thatarebit ofthevenomous fpider called Phalangitim-, thebarkeferueth 
for the fame ptirpofes. 
The leaues and wood o f Tamariske haue great power and vertue againft thehardnefle and flop- Q 
ping ofthe fpleene, efpecially the leaues being boiled i n water, and the decoftion drunke, or elfe in- 
fufed in a fmall veflell of Ale or Beere, and continually drunke : and if it bee drunke forth of a cup 
or difh made ofthe wood or timber of Tamariske, is of greater efficacie, 
CHAP; 
