T r i b E 8 , The Theater of T/ants. C n a p 40 945 
Chap. XL. 
Sifer, Skirre:. 
Have two forts ofherbcs to (hew you under this title of Sifer, whereof the one hath beene fetchtaj 
farre as from Syria, 
iCeyjf I. Sifer vulgare. The commonSkirret. 
^he common Skirret hath fundry ftalkes of winged leaves, femewhat like unto tbofe of 
the Parfneppe, but that they are fmaller and farther .fet in funder, fmothtr and giecner, and likewife 
dented about the edges, among which rifeth up theftalke, little more than halfe the height of the Parlnep, e, 
bearing at the toppes umbells of white flowers, which afterwards turne into f mall darke feede, fomewhat bigger 
than Parfley feede the roote is compofed of divers fmall long round white rootes, fet together atone head, like 
the Afphodill, bunched out, or uneven in fundry places, and rugged, or as it were wrinckled with all, and not 
ftnocth as other rootes are, with a fmall pith within them, and very pleafant to be eaten. 
2. Sifer alarum Syrincam. Skirrtts of SyrU, or white Carrots. 
The Syrian Skirret hath a long, tender and fmoorh roote, grayifh on the out fide, and white within, and eafie to 
be broken as thicke as ones finger, and twite the length, having fundry fmall bunches or ltnottcs thereoq.like un¬ 
to warces, of a pleafant Iweete tafie like unto out Carrots, from whence rile many (hikes of leaves, much divi¬ 
ded and cut into fundry parts like unto Carrot leaves: the (hikes likewife have Inch lik-leaves at the Joynts and 
umbells of flowers at the toppes like unto them for forme, but of a yellowifh colour. 
The Pluce and Time, 
The firftis not natural! in any places of Italy or Germany that I can underAand, bat in thccountrey ofiVV- 
bone in Prance, as faith, and is every where fowen or planted in Garden. 1 '’, and with us rather lowne than 
planced,for fowne among Onions,the one will not hinder the growth of the other, the Onions being ftill drawne 
away that the Sklrrecs may have the lull growth againft W inter: the o:her groweth wilde in Egypt by fairo ,but 
not in their gardens, as Kauwolfus faith: they flower and leede later than the Parfneppe« 
The Names. 
It is called inGreeke r, an d in Lacine alfo Sifarnm and Sifer :thc firft is called^ by Matthiol^Corduf, 
Gefncr , and Camerariw , and Sifarttmby Tragus, Dodon&w, Label and others. Ccfalpmm callethit Sifer German- 
cum, and taketh it alio to be the EUphobofcnm of Diofcorides, as 0 /#»»«alfo doth s but afluredly herein they are 
both deceived, for Diofcorides deferibeth Slaphobofcttm at large, and howfoever the manner ot the leaves deceived 
them, that they were like unto the leaves of the Turpentine tree, yet neither is theflalke of this Ferulous, rhat is 
flrong and great as that of the Parfnep is, nor hath any umbells of yellow flowers nor feede like Dill, both which 
the Parfneppe hath; for this Skirret hath white flowers and feede like Parfley, fo that I wonder how fuch wife 
and judicious men,that in other things will fcanne the text of Diofcorides throughly before they give their judge- 
i. Sifer vulgare. 
THc common Skirret. 
2. Sifer alt cram Syriacim. 
Skirret of Syria, or Wilde Carrot. 
