T R IBE.l. 
The Theater of Plants. 
Chap. 5. 
$. Rhafonticuvt angufti folium. The narrow 
Elecampane leafed Rubarbe. 
uppcrfide, and grayrih or white and woolly underneath, like therein unto the leaves of Elecampane, every one 
handing on his o wne lhlke, broadeft at the bottome, and pointed at the end, and dented about the ed^es- 
from among which rifeth up,a reasonable bigge round ftalke, about halfe a yard or a foote high, bearing afthe 
toppe thereof one great fcalyc head, confiding of very broad and loofe or open browne fcales- at the firft flie w 
reprefentingafinall Artichoke head, but that the fcales doe not (land dole together, but are much more open 
and loofe, elpecially after the flower is pad; which dandeth inthemiddle, compoled of many blewilh redor 
- - • ; • ' I '‘ purple threadcs or thrumes, very delicate to behold: after 
which come blackifli round and long feede, very like unto 
the feede of a Iacea or great Centorie, but a little longer and 
not altogether fo thicke : the root is lomewhat long and 
thicke, blackifh on the outfide, and of a deadifh colour on the 
infide, more loofe and fpongye than either any Docke or great 
Centory, which hath in former times beene ufed amon<> the 
Apothecaries for RhaTonticum. 
6 . Kbit Ponticumalterumahguftifoliumflhe narrower 
Elecampane leafed Rubarbe. 
There is fmall difference tetweene this and the laft deferi- 
bed, but oncly in the leaves, which are alittle narrower and 
longer then it, being as hoary white underneth and greenc 
above as the other; and a little unevenly waved on the edges: 
the head and flowers are a like but a little larger, and fo is the 
roote, fo that it is very likely, the naturall place oftheir grow¬ 
ings, caufeth the chiefelt difference betweene them. 
The P lace. 
The firft groweth about Laufanna in Savoy as Traons faith,but 
only in gardens with us: the (econd naturally Upon the bils not 
far from Cana in Germany, as alfo nere Friburg in Smtferland, 
and on the mountaiiies in duftria. The third as it is reported 
grew in Thracia, and from thence brought to Trofper Alphas, 
at Padoa, from whence fome Apothecaryes in Venice had it ; 
and Mailer DodorLMatthcro Lifter ,one of the Kings Phyfitions 
being in Venice ,obtained 3 or 4. feedes, which he fent me with 
fome other leedes that he procured; andwithme (aslthinke 
the firff in this Land) they fprung up grew and feeded within 
two or three yeares, and from thcm,both I,and many other my 
friends,as well in England as beyond Sea have bin furnifhed, 
4 J The fourth groweth chiefely as I fayd in China,or Cataya (for 
I they are held to be but one Countery) as Matthiohu his Perftaii 
Vjy I Merchant imb.and in the Mountaines or Perfta, if ye will be- 
" - * * ceve Trmcavel his Apothecary, turned merchant, as is beford 
v ^ ..'i declared :Thefift groweth both on Mount£<r/Z«/, as lam enfor- 
med.neere Verona in Italy ,and alfo upon the hils in Smtferland, 
c r , and mfome craggieplaces in Savoy; though Ze£c/faith the 
feede thereof, was firft brought out of Turkic, and that the Ialt wfs brought out of Italy. 
The Time . 
All thefe forts of Rubarbe doe grow with us in our gardens and doe flower, about the beoinning or middle of 
Iune. and the feede is ripe in Iu y. The rootes that are to be dryed and kept all the yeare following! are ™to be 
taken up, before the ftalke and leaves be quite withered or gone, and that is not untill about the middle or end of 
*^^:sr rcth£,m *****«$**■*.££* 
or rcd f0i:m ‘ m de ~ 
, , r j ,, ext ™ nia h in Latine Kumex, which is rather attributed to thofe Dockes are fnu-rn 
S0 I rdl r bC p Caufe the kavCS are ufcd » bc eate " OT fucked, to code the 
SSS fa rh 72 7 ch t" g° e ^ C a C 3 tea f> which was callcd am ong the old Romans Rttmem^ 
2 h ff*" n-Rht ^ called a wffde Beete, it is fo like unto the garden kinde butbe- 
is cdled^mnff more / lea<ant tban tbe DocI<e > man but will more willingly eate the Beete. The firft here 
called of moft men Lapathumfatmum, Pat,emit eh Rhabarbaram Monachorum, meaning thofe that commcn 
den nol ' M ^ H w : ,, TlC m COn M H , , rP oU P ath,m standi folium, to put a difference betweene it, and the former gar- 
of a«ff»r and V r ChlS a ! f ° C , aIled , it is alfo called of Label and others Pfeudo Rha recemiorum 
Z rfZ and C amera JtM,Lapa,hum rotundifilium, and of in hiftor.Plantar.I,b.Jol. 20, .RhabarbaricZ' 
as is af0Kfaid a it r wa^ h eafe h ^ ck,0r balla , rd Ru b a rb.The third Alpha, calleth Rbaponticum Tbracicum ,becaufe 
meanes bee ncrA, d h 2 ■ hun °“ , of u th » t C°™try of 7hracU ‘ and in his «aftae thereupon he will by no 
^nresLhfli^ f d d hatItIS f r . Ue Rubarbe > hut cntituleth it, and the rather becaufe he onely faw the 
neitherdo I think h^rared 1118 “ h {f e w«h,but not to great as the trueRubarbeifuch as I have expreffed; 
acreat m?nv with, P fr n W j y tbc ° Uter barke or skm ot tbe r00tes t0 ma!<e tbc lnfide appeare the fairer,but as 
blth bSt n 3 donc ’ dr )' ed tbe toots as they tooke them out of the grounded then they iheu ed 
isfolikebothfil m f ^ after D f° r alf0 fent 1C me thc name of RhapoZfcnm h ut becaufe the 
atm orRubarbe n ofPonri , f°T niC,and q “ a ‘ ty ^" 1 ° tbctru e Rubarbe,and the fmall longrootes unto the Rha Tom,. 
togchlfev f Rubarb ” lld faitb thefe are blth one, tie difference confi- 
mg cmetely i n the greater or leffcr long peeces, and to the climate,which giveth the true Rubarbe, or Rubarbe 
P 
157 
