Chap. 5. 
TrI be z 
Theatrum Botanicum. 
I. Sc ammonia Syriac a legitima. The true Scammonye. 
The true Scammony hath a long roote,of a darke afh-colour on the outfide,and white within,and of the big- 
lieffe ofan arme, (for fuch hath becne brought us from Tripoli) with a pith in the middle thereof, and many 
fibres thereat,(which being dryed as Matthiolas faith,the pith taken out,feemed fo like unto the rootes of Tur. 
bith, which are brought us, from the farre remote Eafterne parts, none knowing what plant it is, nor whereunto 
it is like, fome thinking it to be the roote of Tripoliumot Sea-Starre-worte, which OMatthiolxs confuteth; o- 
thers a kind of Ferula or Ftrulaceotu plant,altogether improbable, but that they are not lb tou"h,but more brit¬ 
tle, that otherwife it might be thought, to be the right Furbish of the Apothecaryes fhoppes) from whence arile 
many long, round,'greene, branches, winding themfelves like a Bindeweede about Hakes or trees, or any other 
herbes or things that (land next unto it, unto a good height without any clafping tendrells, like the true or wilde 
Vine: from the joynts of the branches,come forth the leaves, every one by it felfe/yet I have feene dryed plants 
that have had two leaves one againft another,)uponihort foote llalkes, lomewhat broad at the bottomc, with 
two corners next thereunto, and fome alfo round that 1 have feene, and then growing long and narrow to the 
end- being fmooth, and of a faire greene colour, fomewhat fhining .- towards the tops of the branches at the 
joynts with the leaves, come forth large whitifh Bell flowers; with wide open brimes and narrow bottomes; af¬ 
ter which come round heads, wherein arc contained 3 or 4 cornered blackefeede; for fuch I have had given 
me, from whence hath fprung plants, which perifhed quickely.not abiding a winter with me : if any part of this 
plant be broken, it yeeldeth forth a milke, not hot or burning, nor bitter, yet fomewhat unpleafant, provoking 
loathing, and almoft calling. 
2, Scammonia CMacrorhyaji Cretica. Long rooted Scammonye of ( artiyc. 
‘Frolber Alpinus, in /<*. dcexoticis, faith, that he in his former times received from Candie, another fort of 
Scammonye, differing nothing from the true Scammonye here before deicribed, but in the fafhion of the roote 
which is long and (lender, of about a fingers thickneffe. but purging as flrongly as that of Syria, and this in my 
judgement doth very neere refemble, our common white greater Bmdewecde,that fliall follow next the Coun- 
trey making the difference onely as I thinke. 
3. Convolvulus major albas. The great white Bindeweede. 
Our great Bindeweede commeth as I think fo neere unto the former Scammonye,that excepting the largeneffe 
ofthe rootes, and thegreater force in purging, which may both proceedc from the climate; you would faythis 
were alum cadem, whole many (lender winding (lalkes.ruime up and winde themfelvcs upon hedges,or whatfo- 
ever ftandeth neere unto it, having diverfe large leaves growing feverally thereon, fomewhat long, and pointed 
at the further end, and parted into two pointsat the broad part, next to the (lalkc, making it feeme alrnoft three 
fquare, being fmooth and of a pale greene colour, yeelding a milke being broken, but not fo plentifully as the 
Scamonye *. at the joynts with the leaves towards the toppes cl the branches, come forth large white Bell flow¬ 
ers, without any divifion in them, atrer which rife round skinniehuskes, or heads, contenting within them di¬ 
verfe blackifh, three cornered feede, like the former, butleffer-, the roote is whitifti, and fmall, of thebigneffe 
ofCouchgraffc, or fomewhat greater, running much under ground,and {hooting forth in {undry places: both 
flalkes and leaves perilh every yeare, the roote living in the ground, and (hooting a frefh every lpring, which 
yeeldeth milke,being broken. 
4. Scammniaytionfpdincadilh. „ . „ f . 
french BafiM Scammonye. 4- gammon,a Monfpehaca dtlla. 
French Baftard Scammonye. 
The neere refemblance of this plant, unto the former in 
many particulars, but efpccially in the feede, Shewing it to 
be a Bindeweede, hath caufed me to joyneit likewifein 
the fame Chapter,whicb hath fundry twining branches ri- 
fing five or fixe foote high,twining or clafping the trees or 
other things that it can reach, whereon are fet two broad 
and almod round,yet pointed leaves at a joynt, of a ble wifli 
greene colour : from betweene the leaves and the branches, 
as alfo at the toppes of them, come forth many fmall white 
flowers, cluttering together darre fafhion, confiding of 
five narrow pointed leaves with threds in the middle; after 
which fucceede fuch like heads, and black cornered feede, 
as in the former forts: the roote hereof is fmall,of the big— 
nefleof ones finger, with many fibres thereat, brownifh 
on the outfide,and pale within, this yeeldeth more plenty 
of purging milke than the lad, comming fomewhat neerer 
therein unto the fird. 
5. Scammonia rotundifolia Virginiana. 
We have had a kind of Volubilis from Virginia , very 
. neerely refembling thiskindeof French Scammonye,both 
' in growing and forme of leaves (as you may perceive by 
1 one let by the plant) but the flowers being fmall and 
white doe open like a Bindeweede, and not like adarre, 
into five leaves, like unto tl e lad, the feede groweth not in pods, but in fmall heads, being fmall and 
blackifh like other Bindewceds, and therefore if not to the family of Binde weeds, I know no better place than to 
infert it here. And peradventurc this may be the Indians Hololnicbi, that Aldinw mentjoneth in his Farnefian gar¬ 
den to be fo dangerous. 
The flace. 
The fird groweth in Syria, and the' farther Eafterne parts, where no froftsare felt in the winter, for it 
* ' “ quickely 
