l 6 o Chap. ^ 
Theatnm 'Botanicum, 
T R 1 BE.2. 
Colacyvthh Poaiformii & P/'i/oma. 
The round and Pears tadnoned bitter Gourde. 
Chap. Ill, 
I. Colocyuthis Vulgaris. Coloquitttida or the bitter Goftrde, 
;His bitter Gourdrunneth with his branches upon the ground.asa Gourd or Cowcumber doth, ha- 
, ving diverfe rough hairy leaves thereon, every one by it fclfe, which are lefferand fomewhat lon¬ 
ger, than thofe of the Cowcumber, and more divided or cut in at the edges, mod ufualy into five or 
leaven parts, each partition alfo dented in,or notched round about, the leaves of the forme doe ve¬ 
ry much refemble thofe of the Citrull Cowcumber; at the joyntswith the leaves come forth the 
flowers which are yellow, of the fame falhion with them, but fomewhat fmallcr, and alfo fmall tendrells 
or twining ftalkes as the V ine hath,wherewith it windeth about any plants, or other things that (land next unto 
it, thereby ftrangling or killing them: the fruite that followcth is {mall and round as a ball, many of them not 
much bigger than a great Crabbe or Peare-maine, greene at the firft on the outfide, and afterwards growing to 
be of a browne yellow, which fhellisashardasany Pompion or Gourde; and is ufually pared away while it 
is greene, the fubftance under it being white, very light, 
fpongie, or loofe, and of an extreame bitter taftc, almoft in- 
durable, and provoking loathing or calling in many that tafle it; 
having therein fixe orders or rowes of white hard feede, of the 
bigneffc of Cowcumber feede, but fuller harder and rounder- 
and nothing fo bitter or forceable in working, as the white 
pulpe or fubftance is: the roote is not very great but ftringie, 
and quickly perilhing with the firft cold approach of win¬ 
ter. 
2. Colocyntkis major rotunda. The greater Coloquintida, 
or bitter Gourde. 
This fort of bitter Gourde diftereth not from the former, ci¬ 
ther in leafe or flower or manner of growing, but onclyinthe 
fruite, which groweth to be twice as big as the former, and as 
round; greene at the firft, but of a pale yellow when it is ripe, 
whofe pulpe or inner fubftance is alfo white and fpongie, and 
in a manner as bitter, with fuch like feedes as are in the former- 
. and difpofed for the mod part into eight rowes, or partition;; 
the roote periflieth as the former. 
3. Colocjnthis oblonga. The long bitter Gourde. 
This kind of Colloquintida differeth not from the laft ^rcac 
fort, for either manner of growing, forme of the leaves or 
flowers, but onely in the fruit, which is as great almoft as the 
laft, but is not fo fphericallor round like a ball, but fomewhat 
long with the roundnefle, and being a little flat at the head- the 
(hell or outer rinde thereof, is greene at the firft, and after¬ 
wards groweth to be whitilh, with many fpots thereon; this 
is alfo bitter but not fo extreame as the firft. 
4. Colocjnthis pjriformis . Peare-falhioned Coloquin¬ 
tida or bitter Gourd. 
This Peare-fafhioned kinde, hath many trayling rough 
branches like the firft, and fuch like long and round pointed 
leaves, cut in alfo on the edges but not fo deepely, neither fo 
large or great,and ofa darker greene colour; at the joynts with 
the leaves, come forth the flowers, being yellow, but fmaller 
than the firft, and likewife fmall twining clafpers as the other, 
which taketh hold on every thing, that it may comprehend: the 
fruite is fmall, riot bigger than a large Catherine Peare, and many fmaller, yet all falhioned likeaPeare, the 
head whereof is fomewhat rounder than a Peare; the {hell or outward rinde whereofis greene.but whiter when 
it is ripe with many long lines or ftrakes thereon; the inner pulpe or fubftance, being 'almoft as white, light, and 
fpongie but lefle bitter than any of the reft, at the leaft in thofe have growne in my garden, having but fourc 
rowes or rankes of white feede like the reft. 
The Tlace, 
The firft commeth as a Merchandife to us from Arabia, Egypt, and Syria, yet is nourifhed up in the gardens 
of thofe that are curious. The other forts fome have beene found in Spaine and Italy, but we fow their feede 
every yeare in our gardens, if wee be defirous to fee them, for they never come up of their ownefow- 
ing. 
The Time. 
They flower late, and fo doe they ripen with their fruit, which unleffe the yeare proove kindly, hardly come 
to perfe<ftion, untill it be very late ; but the firft worft of all. 
The Names. 
The firft as that which onely was knowen, or at lead mentioned by the ancient writers, is called in 
Greeke wko r.v'"Si< Colocyntbis, and of fome amid. Siena pier a quafi Cucumis amarus, the bitter Cowcumber: 
Hippocrates calleth it mKuavne & dwjwt, of the Latines filocynthis ,znd Cucurbit a fylveftris, in the Apothecaries {hops 
Coloquintida^ and we in Englilh,either Coloquintida, or the bitter Gourde, which you will. The reft of them 
have 
