Tribe. i. The Theater ofTlants. Chap. 4.$. up 
i. Calamus Aromaticus Syriacus vel ArahicusJkppofiritius, The fuppofed true Syrian, or Arabian 
Aromaticall Reed. 
This plant which is fuppofed by many to be the true Indian Calamus aromaticus, (but much fufpeded by others ) 
rifeth up from a thicke unprofitable roote, three or 4. inches long,bigge at the head, and imall at the bottome, with 
one,and fometimes more lfalkes, two cubits high (faith Bauhinus , who defcribeth it from the light of the plant he 
received from Doff or Doldius s but halfe a cubite high, or fomewhat more, faith Alpmus lib ..de plantis exoticis) 
being flraight, round,fmooth, andcalietobreake into fplinters,fullof j’oynts, and about a fingers thicknefle, hol- 
low and fp'ongy within,ofawhitifh yellow colour (like thepithofan elder,faith Alpmus, or like other Reeds,“as 
Bauhinus faith) the ftalkc is divided into other branches, and they againe intoother fmallcrones, two ufually let 
together at a joynt, with two leaves under them likewife, very like unto the leaves of Lyfimachia, the Willow 
Ijearbe, or Loofe-ftrife,but Idler, being an inch broad, and an inch and a halfe long, compalfing thedalke at the 
bottome, with (undry veines running all the length of them : from thejoynts rife long lfalkes, bearing fundry 
fmall yellow flowers made ofleaves, like alfo unto with alinall pointell in the middle, after'which 
follow fmall blackifh long heads, or feed vefl'els, pointed at the end, containing within them fmall blackifh feed: 
the (lalke hath little or no feent, yet not unpleafant faith Alpimts, being bitter, with a little acrimony therein: but 
Baubims faith, it is of an aromaticall taftc, and very bitter. This (faith Alpimts) the Arabians and Egyptians doe 
Ufe and call it Cajfabcldarira, that is Calamus Aromaticus ,& from them all other Chriflian nations have to accented 
it: but how improbable let any others judge that vn\\bsskz'ie,Theopbrafttts,Diofcorides, Galen,Pliny, and others 
who doe all call it a Reed,when as this you fee is none, and as Tbeopbrajlus & Pliny fay differeth not in forme from 
other Reeds: for Pliny reckoneth up 29 fortsofReeds, whereof this is one in their times, and for the lweetnefl'e 
thereof,onely uled in fweet oyntments: for the taffe alfo; T)iofeorides faith it hath (ome aflringency, and a little 
acrimony therein, but mentioneth no bitternelfe, when as this hath more bitternefle in it than any other taffe,which 
could not be forgotten by C D iofeorides if his had any in it. This plant groweth both in fundry moilt places in Eojpt, 
as alfo by the lake Geanajdrcth in/udaa, and in divers places alfoofSyria and Arabia and for ought that weecan 
perceive, is rather a kindeofyellow Lyfimachia than any other plant. 
3, Acorns vents five Calamus ojjicmarUm, The fweet fmelling Flagge. 
This fweet fmelling Flagge hath many flaggy long and narrow frefli greene leaves, two foote long apeere, or 
more, yet oftentimes fomewhat brownifh at the bottome, the one riling or growing out ol the fide of the other, in 
the fame manner that other Flagges ot Flower-deluces grow, which arc thin on both Tides,and ridged or thicke in 
the middefl, the longell for the moll part (landing in the midlf, and fome of them as it were curled or plaitcdto- 
wards the ends or toppes ofthem, fmelling very iweet,as well when they are greene and frefh, as when they are 
drved, and fo kept a long time; which doe fo abide in a garden along time,as though it never did, or never would 
beare flower : the leaves every yeare dying downe to the ground and (hooting out frefli every Spring, but after 
two, three, or foure yeare abiding in a place without removing, belides the leaves it fhdotsth forth (not any fra Ike 
