I haue three sorts of Chamælæa to bring to your consideration, euery one differing notably from other; two of them of great beauty in their flowers, as well as in the whole plant: the third abiding with greene leaues, although it haue no beauty in the flower, yet worthy of the place it holds. And vnto these I must adioyne another plant, as comming nearest vnto them in the brauery of the flowers.
We haue two sorts of this Spurge Oliue or Dwarfe Baye, differing onely in the colour of the flowers. They both rise vp with a thicke wooddy stemme, fiue or six foot high sometimes, or more, and of the thicknesse (if they be very old) of a mans wrest at the ground, spreading into many flexible long branches, couered with a tough grayish barke, beset with small long leaues, somewhat like vnto Priuet leaues, but smaller and paler, and in a manner round pointed: the flowers are small, consisting of foure leaues, many growing together sometimes, and breaking out of the branches by themselues: in the one sort of a pale red at the first blowing, and more white afterwards; the other of a deeper red in the blossome, and continuing of a deeper red colour all the time of the flowring, both of them very sweete in smell: after the flowers are past, come the berries, which are greene at the first, and very red afterwards, turning blackish red, if they stand too long vpon the branches: the rootes spread into many tough long branches, couered with a yellowish barke.
This Mountaine Laurell riseth vp with a small wooddy stemme, three or foure foot high, or more, branching forth towards the vpper parts into many slender and tough branches, couered with a rough hoary greene barke, beset at the ends thereof with flatter, fuller, and smaller round pointed leaues then the former, of a grayish greene colour on the vpperside, and hoary vnderneath, which abide on the branches in Winter, and fall not away as the former: the flowers are many set together at the ends of the branches, greater then the former, and consisting of foure leaues a peece, of a light blush colour, standing in small grayish huskes, of little or no sent at all: the fruit followeth, which are small long graines or berries, of an excellent red colour, which afterwards turne blacke: the roote is long, and spreadeth about vnder the vpper part of the earth.
This three berried Spurge Oliue hath no great stemme at all, but the whole plant spreadeth from the ground into many flexible tough greene branches, whereon are set diuers narrow, long, darke greene leaues all along the branches, which abide greene all the Winter: the flowers are very small, scarce to be seene, and come forth between the leaues and the stalke, of a pale yellow colour, made of three leaues; after which come small blackish berries, three vsually set together; the roote spreadeth it selfe in the ground not very farre, being hard and wooddy, and often dyeth, if it bee not well defended from the extremity of our sharpe Winters.
I was long in doubt in what place I should dispose of this plant, whether among the Campions, as Bauhinus, or among these, as Clusius doth; but lest my Garden should want it wholly, let it take vp roome for this time here. This gallant plant hath diuers long, weake, slender, but yet tough branches lying vpon the ground, diuided vsually into other smaller branches, whereon growe many, small, long, and somewhat thicke leaues, somewhat like vnto the leaues of the former Mezereon, set without any order to the very tops, from whence doe come forth a tuft of many small flowers together, made or consisting of foure leaues a peece, of a bright red or carnation colour, and very sweete withall, which turne into small round whitish berries, wherein is contained small round seede, couered with a grayish coate or skinne: the roote is long and yellowish, spreading diuers wayes vnder the ground, and abideth many yeares shooting forth new branches.
It hath beene obserued in some of these plants, to bring forth white flowers, not differing in any thing else.
The first sorts growe plentifully in many places of Germany. The second in the mountaines by Sauoye. The third in Prouence and Spaine. The last in diuers parts of Germany, Bohemia, and Austria, and about Franckford.
The two first sorts are most vsually in flower about Christmas, or in Ianuary, if the weather be not violent, and sometimes not vntill February. The second flowreth not vntill Aprill. The third in May. The berries of them ripen some in Iune and Iuly; some in August and September, as their flowring is earlier or later. The last flowreth as well in the Spring as in Autumne, so apt and plentifull it is in bearing, and the seede at both times doth ripen soone after.
The first is called of some Chamælæa, with this addition Germanica, that it may differ from the third, which is the true Chamælæa of Dioscorides, as all the best Authors doe agree, and is also called Piper montanum of the Italians. It is generally called Mezereon, and is indeede the true Mezereon of the Arabians, and so vsed in our Apothecaries shops, wheresoeuer the Arabians Mezereon is appointed, although the Arabians are so intricate and vncertaine in the descriptions of their plants, confounding Chamælæa and Thymælæa together. Matthiolus maketh it to be Daphnoides of Dioscorides; but in my opinion he is therein mistaken: for all our best moderne Writers doe account our Laureola, which hath blacke berries, to bee the true Daphnoides: the errour of his Countrey might peraduenture drawe him thereunto; but if hee had better considered the text of Dioscorides, that giueth black berries to Daphnoides, and red to Chamædaphne, he would not so haue written; and truly, I should thinke (as Lobel doth) with better reason, that this Chamælæa were Dioscorides Chamædaphne, then hee to say it were Daphnoides: for the description of Chamædaphne, may in all parts be very fitly applyed to this Chamælæa: and euen these words, Semen annexum folijs, wherein may be the greatest doubt in the description, may not vnfitly bee construed, that as is seene in the plant, the berries growe at the foote of the leaues, about the branches: the faculties indeede that Dioscorides giueth to Chamædaphne, are (if any repugnancie be) the greatest let or hinderance, that this Chamælæa should not be it: but I leaue the discussing of these and others of the like nature, to our learned Physitians; for I deale not so much with vertues as with descriptions. The second is called of Lobel Chamælæa Alpine incana, of Clusius Chamælæa secunda, and saith hee had it out of Italy. Wee may call it in English, Mountaine Spurge Oliue, as it is in the description, or Mountaine Laurell, which you will. The last hath the name of Cneorum, first giuen it by Matthiolus, which since is continued by all others. Bauhinus (as I said) referreth it to the Mountaine Campions, but Clusius (as I doe) to the kindes of Chamælæa or Thymælæa. For want of an English name I haue (as you see, and that is according to the name the Germane women, as Clusius saith, doe call it) entituled it the Small Rocke Rose; which may abide vntill a fitter may be conferred vpon it.
| 1 | Chamælæa Germanica seu Mezereon. Mezereon or Dwarfe Bay. |
| 2 | Chamælæa Alpina. Mountain or Spurge Oliue. |
| 3 | Cneorum Matthioli. Small Rocke Roses. |
| 4 | Laurus Tinus siue siluestris. The wild Bay tree. |
| 5 | Oleander siue Laurus Rosea. The Rose Bay tree. |
| 6 | Laurocerasus. The Bay Cherrie tree. |
All these plants except the last, as well leaues as berries, are violent purgers, and therefore great caution is to bee had in the vse of them. The last hath not beene applyed for any disease that I know.