752 Chaf.14- Tbealrum Botanicum. Tribe 6 . 
what thicker alfo than the Garden kindc; in other things it differcth little from it: neare the fea this hath a brack- 
ifh tafte, but nothing fo much being tranfplanted. 
3. "BetaluttaSyriaca. The yellow Bcete. 
There is alfo from fome'parts of Syria, brought unto us and nnrfed up in Ifome, curious gardens, a yellow Becte 
whofe roote is of a paler yellow colour than a Carror,the leaves alfo being of a yellower greene than thole oftlie 
ordinary white Beete. 
4. Beta platicaulos. Flat (talked Bectes.' 
Sometimes there hath beenefeene a degenerated kinde of Beete, whofe Italke was broad from the middle to 
the toppe brancing forth on all (ides, and foure inches broad at the highelt, all the leaves being fmaller than or¬ 
dinary and fo thickefet thereon upwards, that the (talke could fcarce he feene, efpccially at the toppes where the 
feede,’flood. The Place. 
Their places are fpecified in their titles or defcriptions, yet Gefrier in hortis faith, that hee had it from credible 
perfons, that theyellow kind is found dbout the cities Burachium and Alexium in t Macedonia. 
The Time. 
They doe all flower in the beginning of bilj.. and their feede is ripe in Augufi. 
The Names. 
Beetes are called inGrecke thItMv mdoiiitror, Tetttlonand Seutlon, cb impulfu quod facile excrefcat, in Latine 
'Beta.qnomamffttram liters: £ dnm [emine target referrc videtur, which Columella in his tenth booke remembreth 
in thefe Verfes, 
Nomine cum Grajo, celt lit era proximo primsty 
Pangitur in eera dofti mucrone magiftriy 
Sic (i" homo pingui ferrata cujpidis iUu 
D cprimitur folio viridis, pede Candida Betal 
It is called by the Arabians Decks and Call, by the Italians Bietola, by the Spaniards Afelgas, by the French 
Betclove, andPoeree, by the Germans Mangoltmd Pieffen, byth sThttch Bcete, and wee in Bngtijb Beete : the 
white Beete was called in former times Sicu/a, and in the later Sic/a : there hath beene fome doubt among many 
what Beete the ancients meant by the blacke Beete, fome thinking the greene bcete being of a darke greene co¬ 
lour fhould be it, butothers take the common red Beete to be it, which by the darke red colour commeth 
nearefl thereunto, which opinion I take to be the mote certaine. Beetes were onely planted in Gardens, and no 
wilde kindc found with the ancients, as Galen faith, for although Pliny might thinkc that Limonium was a kinde 
of the wilde Beete, yet Diofcorides did not fo account it, but made it another quite differing kinde of herbe, and 
gave thereto other manner of properties: yet at this time, as you fee in this Chapter there are thiee forts ret forth 
growing wilde of their owne nature. Divers doe call the firft Blitum (finofum, becaufe the leaves doe as neere 
rcfemble a Blite as the Beete. Lobel maketh mention of the lea kinde. Comerorivo in horto of the yellow, and fo 
dothGefner inhortit Germime, who faith that in Syria it is called Sbandar, and that Bhenhitar the Arabian num- 
breth it among the fortsof Rapes or Turneps; and that Beilmenfis likewife mentioneth it upon his Glolfesor 
Comments on Avicen in the Chapter of Sicla nigra. Lugduncnfis calleth the lad as it is in the title. The Spina- 
ebe which I have here joyned with the Beetes, is called by molt Spinachia , and by fome Spinaceum 
dm 1 fome of the later Greekcs doe call it enoaayso. Spanachia a raritatein ufu medico ; and fome Spanachia in La- 
tincyis UiUtthiolui, and thofe that follow him, who I thinke firft fo called it, becaufe Tragus called it Ohs Hijfa- 
rticum, fuppofing as many others doe that it firft came from Spaine to us. 
The Vertues. 
Simeon Sethi and divers ofthe ancients have fet downe in their writings that Beetes have an hurtfull qualitie in 
them for the ftomacke, and breede many difeafes: they have indeede a more nitrous qualitie whereby they 
provok more to the lloole than A rrache,Lecture or Mallowes doe, efpecially the white : for the red Beete is held 
good toftay the bloudy flixe, womens courfes, and the whites,and to helpe the yellow jaundife ;thc white being 
more clenfing, digefting, and provoking urine alfo, and the red more aftringent, efpccially the roote : the Juyce 
or the roote put into thenoftrils purgeth theheade, and helpeth the nolle in the eates, as alfo the tooth ach : the 
juyce of the white Beete openethobftruftions, both of the hver aud fplecne, and is good for the head ach, the 
fwimming therein, and the turnings ofthebraine, and is effeffuallalfo againft all venomous creatures: the juyce 
of white Beetes applied upon the temples ftaieth the inflammation in the eyes, the fame alio helpeth burnings 
being uled without any oyle, and if a little Allome be put unto it, it is good for Saint Anthonies fire : the fame 
alfo is good for all wheales, pufhes, and other blifters and blancs in the sk inne: the herbe being boyled and laid 
upon chilblanes on the hands,or kibes on the heelcs helpeth them: it healeth the itch alfo if the places be bathed 
with the decoftion ofthe herbe in water and fome vinegar: the fame doth likewile clenfe the head of dandraffe, 
feurfe and drie feabbes; and doth much good alfo for fretting and running fores, ulcers and esnekers in the head, 
*fSg es or other parts; it is much commended alfo againft baldneffe and (bedding ofthe haire. The wilde Beetes 
that are here fet downe have not beene applied to any life that I know as yet; neither did I ever heareor reade 
of any Phyfical! properties ofthe Spinage. 
Chat. XIV. 
Blitum, Blites. 
■ Nto the Beetes doe the Blites require to be next joyned, of divers whereof I have fpoken in my former 
Booke, namely ofthe Garden forts white and red betides the Amarar.thus, or Flower gentle of divers 
forts, whereof 1 meane not further to relate here, although I may give \ oufome of their figures •• but 
of fome other forts nor there remembred, 
I. Blitum album fylvefirum minus. The fmall wilde white Blite. 
- ns fmall wilde white Blite groweth fmall and low, with fmaller whitifh greene leaves fet in the ftalkes, than 
the 
