Chap. XXXII.
Dracoherba siue Tarchon & Dracunculus hortensis.
Tarragon.
Tarragon hath long and narrow darke greene leaues, growing on slender and brittle round stalkes, two or three foote high, at the tops whereof grow forth long slender spikes of small yellowish flowers, which seldome giue any good seede, but a dustie or chaffie matter, which flieth away with the winde: the roote is white, and creepeth about vnder ground, whereby it much encreaseth: the whole herbe is of a hot and biting taste.
The Vse of Tarragon.
It is altogether vsed among other cold herbes, to temper their coldnesse, and they to temper its heate, so to giue the better rellish vnto the Sallet; but many doe not like the taste thereof, and so refuse it.
There are some Authors that haue held Tarragon not to be an herbe of it owne kinde, but that it was first produced, by putting the seede of Lin or Flaxe into the roote of an Onion, being opened and so set into the ground, which when it hath sprung, hath brought forth this herbe Tarragon, which absurd and idle opinion, Matthiolus by certaine experience saith, hath been found false.