Chap. III.
Martagon Imperiale, siue Lilium Montanum maius.
The Martagon Imperiall.
Vnder this title of Lilium Montanum, or Lilium Siluestre, I do comprehend only those kindes of Lillies, which carry diuers circles of greene leaues set together at certaine distances, round about the stalke, and not sparsedly as the two former, and as other kindes that follow, doe. And although there bee many of this sort, yet because their chiefest difference is in the colour of the flower, wee will containe them all in one Chapter, and begin with the most stately of them all, because of the number of flowers it beareth vpon one stalke. The Imperiall Lilly hath a scaly roote, like vnto all the rest of the Lillies, but of a paler yellow colour, closely compact or set together, being short and small oftentimes, in comparison of the greatnesse of the stemme growing from it. The stalke is brownish and round at the bottome, and sometimes flat from the middle vpwards, three foote high or more, beset at certaine distances with rondles or circles of many broad leaues, larger and broader for the most part than any other of this kinde, and of a darke green colour: It hath two or three, and sometimes foure of these rondles or circles of leaues, and bare without any leafe betweene; but aboue toward the tops of the stalkes, it hath here and there some leaues vpon it, but smaller than any of the other leaues: at the toppe of the stalke come forth many flowers, sometime three or foure score, thicke thrust, or confusedly set together, and not thinne or sparsedly one aboue another, as in the lesser of this kinde of Mountaine Lilly. It hath been sometimes also obserued in this kinde, that it hath borne manie flowers at three seuerall spaces of the stalke, one aboue another, which hath made a goodly shew; each flower whereof is pendulous, hanging downe, and each leafe of the flower turning vp againe, being thicke or fleshy, of a fine delayed purple colour, spotted with many blackish or brownish spots, of a very pleasant sweet sent, which maketh it the more acceptable: in the middle of the flower hangeth downe a stile or pointell, knobbed or buttoned at the end with sixe yellow chiues, tipt with loose pendents of an Orient red or Vermillion colour, which will easily sticke like dust vpon any thing that toucheth them: the heads or seede vessels are small and round, with small edges about them, wherein is contained flat browne seede like other Lillies, but lesser. This root is very apt to encrease or set of, as we call it, wherby the plant seldome commeth to so great a head of flowers, but riseth vp with many stalkes, and then carry fewer flowers.
Of this kinde there is sometimes one found, that beareth flowers without any spots: the leaues whereof and stalke likewise are paler, but not else differing.
Martagon flore albo. The White Martagon.
We haue also some other of this kind, the first wherof hath his stalke & leafe greener than the former, the stalke is a little higher, but not bearing so thicke a head of flowers, although much more plentifull than the lesser Mountaine Lilly, being altogether of a fine white colour, without any spots, or but very few, and that but sometimes also: the pendents in the middle of this flower are not red, as the former, but yellow; the roote of this, and of the other two that follow, are of a pale yellow colour, the cloues or scales of them being brittle, and not closely compact, yet so as if two, and sometimes three scales or cloues grew one vpon the head or vpperpart of another; which difference is a speciall note to know these three kindes, from any other kinde of Mountaine Lilly, as in all old rootes that I haue seene, I haue obserued, as also in them that are reasonably well growne, but in the young rootes it is not yet so manifest.
Martagon flore albo maculato. The White spotted Martagon.
The second is like vnto the first in all things, saue in this, that the flowers hereof are not altogether so white, and besides hath many reddish spots on the inside of the leaues of the flower, and the stalke also is not so greene but brownish.
Martagon flore carneo. The blush Martagon.
A third sort there is of this kinde, whole flowers are wholly of a delayed flesh colour, with many spots on the flowers, and this is the difference hereof from the former.
Lilium Montanum siue siluestre minus. The lesser Mountaine Lilly.
The lesser Mountaine Lilly is so like in root vnto the greater that is first described, that it is hard to distinguish them asunder; but when this is sprung vp out of the ground, which is a moneth after the first: it also carrieth his leaues in rondles about the stalke, although not altogether so great nor so many. The flowers are more thinly set on the stalkes one aboue another, with more distance betweene each flower than the former, and are of a little deeper flesh colour or purple, spotted in the same manner. The buds or heads of flowers, in some of these before they be blowne, are hoary white, or hairie, whereas in others, there is no hoarinesse at all, but the buddes are smooth and purplish: in other things this differeth not from the former.
Of this sort also there is one that hath but few spots on the flowers, whose colour is somewhat paler than the other.
| 1 | Martagon flore albo. The white Martagon. |
| 2 | Martagon siue Lilium Canadense maculatum. The spotted Martagon, or Lilly of Canada. |
| 3 | Martagon Pomponeum. The Martagon Pompony, or early red Martagon. |
Martagon Canadense maculatum. The spotted Martagon of Canada.
Although this strange Lilly hath not his flowers hanging downe, and turning vp again, as the former kinds set forth in this Chapter, yet because the green leaues stand at seuerall ioynts as they do, I must needs insert it here, not knowing where more fitly to place it. It hath a small scaly roote, with many small long fibres thereat, from whence riseth vp a reasonable great stalke, almost as high as any of the former, bearing at three or foure distances many long and narrow greene leaues, but not so many or so broad as the former, with diuers ribbes in them: from among the vppermost rundle of leaues breake forth foure or fiue flowers together, euery one standing on a long slender foote stalke, being almost as large as a red Lilly, but a little bending downewards, and of a faire yellow colour, spotted on the inside with diuers blackish purple spots or strakes, hauing a middle pointell, and sixe chiues, with pendents on them.
The Place.
All these Lillies haue been found in the diuers Countries of Germany, as Austria, Hungaria, Pannonia, Stiria, &c. and are all made Denisons in our London Gardens, where they flourish as in their owne naturall places. The last was brought into France from Canada by the French Colonie, and from thence vnto vs.
The Time.
They flower about the later end of Iune for the most part, yet the first springeth out of the ground a moneth at the least before the other, which are most vsually in flower before it, like vnto the Serotine Tulipas, all of them being early vp, and neuer the neere.
The Names.
The first is vsually called Martagon Imperiale, the Imperiall Martagon, and is Lilium Montanum maius, the greatest Mountaine Lilly; for so it deserueth the name, because of the number of flowers vpon a head or stalke. Some haue called it Lilium Sarasenicum, and some Hemerocallis, but neither of them doth so fitly agree vnto it.
The second is Lilium Montanum maius flore albo, and of some Martagon Imperiale flore albo, but most vsually Martagon flore albo, the white Martagon. The second sort of this second kinde, is called Martagon flore albo maculato, the spotted white Martagon. And the third, Martagon flore carneo, the blush Martagon.
The third kinde is called Lilium Montanum, the Mountaine Lilly, and some adde the title minus, the lesser, to know it more distinctly from the other. Some also Lilium Siluestre, as Clusius, and some others, and of Matthiolus Martagon. Of diuers women here in England, from the Dutch name, Lilly of Nazareth. The last hath his title Americanum & Canadense, and in English accordingly.