Tr i b e . 5, The Theater of Tlanis. Chap. 24 525 
1 . Smphitam majm vu'gmt. 3; *J l «pWniM 
Common great Comfrejf. ComtKy wnllinobbed rootes. 
t. SymphitummajM vulgAre. Common great Comfrey. 
The common great Comfrey hath divers very large and hairy darkegreene leaves lying on the ground, fo 
hairy or prickly, that if they touch any tender part of the hand, face, or other part, it will caufe it to itch; the 
(hike thatrifeth up from among them, being two or three foote high, hollow and cornered, is very hairy alfo, 
having many fuch like leaves as grow below, but leffer and leffer up to the toppe; at the joints of the (hikes it 
is divided into many branches, with lome leaves thereon, and at the ends (land many flowers in order, one be¬ 
fore or above another, which are fomewhat long and hollow, like the finger of a glove, of a pale whitith co¬ 
lour, after which come (mall blacke feede : the rootes are great and long fpreading great thicke branches under 
ground, blacke on the outfide and whitifli within, fhort or eafie to breake, and full of a glutinous or clammy 
juyce, of little or no talk at all. 
2. Syntpbitxmmajus purpurea fare. Great Comfrey with purple flowers. 
This Comfrey difkrech iji no other thing from the former, but in this that it is fomewhat leffer, and the 
flowers are of a pale purple colour. 
?. Sympbimmtxb'rofum. Comfrey with knobbed rootes. 
The knobbed Comfrey rifeth up with a hairy crefled or cornered flalke, much lower thin the former, with 
fmaller leaves, and more thinnely fet thereon, of the fame forme and greeneneflc, that thereby it may attlefirft 
fight, to any that hath well marked the former, be knowne to be a Comfrey; but efpecially when the toppe 
branches are in flower, which being fee after the fame manner, and of the fame hollow fafhion, but fmaller, are 
ofa more fad yellowifh colour, whofe (eede following is like the former; the rootes branch out into thicke and 
fliort fprayes, more knobbed at the ends with divers fibres thereat, blacke on the outfide and yellowifh within, 
fraught with (Itch clammy or flimie juice, as is in the former, but not fo glutinous, yet as tender or eafie to be 
broken as it, or rather more eafie ■■ the flalke and leaves dye downe every yeare as they doe in the formi r: the 
roote abiding and increafing in the ground, and (hooting forth new ftalkes and leaves every Spring .- fome doe Minor 
make alelfer fort hereof,which I never law, nor can be well affnred thereof. 
4. SympbAtHm angujlifolium Apulum. Narrow Comfrey of Napier, 
This narrow leafed plant Columns maketh an Alkanet like an Scbium, yet from the vifcousorflimybin- 
j’r j *°“ er * n § ) u ' cc in the roote, may (as hee faith himfelfe) therefore be accounted rather a Comfrey 
and fo doe I among them with the defeription thus. Theroote while itis young is reddifh, but growing old is 
long and wooddy, greater than the fmallnesof the plant might feeme to have with a blacke rugged barcke, 
in, which fendeth from it fundry heads of narrow long leaves round about it with a whitifh hairineffe 
on them,from among fome of which rife reddifh ftalkes of a foote or more high, with fomewhat broader leaves 
up higher thereon, at the toppes whereof which turne themfelves like to a Scorpions taile, grow many hollow 
long, yellow flowers, opening at the brimmes into five parts, all of them flowring one after another with a long 
potntell in the middle of them, after which come foure blackiflr bro wne fmooth feeds in each huske. 
Tbi 
