Ovr ordinary Camomill is well knowne to all, to haue many smal trayling branches, set with very fine small leaues, bushing and spreading thicke ouer the ground, taking roote still as it spreadeth: the toppes of the branches haue white flowers, with yellow thrummes in the middle, very like vnto the Featherfew, before described, but somewhat greater, not so hard, but more soft and gentle in handling, and the whole herbe to be of a very sweet sent.
We haue another sort of Camomill in some Gardens, but very rare, like vnto the former, but that it is whiter, finer, and smaller, and raiseth it selfe vp a little higher, and beareth naked flowers; that is, without that border of white leaues that is in the former, and consisteth onely of a yellow round thrummie head, smelling almost as sweete as the former.
The double Camomill groweth with his leaues vpon the ground, as the other single kinde doth, but of a little fresher greene colour, and larger withall: the stalkes with the flowers on them, doe raise themselues vp a little higher then the ordinary, and bearing one or two flowers vpon a stalk, which are composed of many white leaues set together in diuers rowes, which make a fine double flower, with a little yellow spot in the middle for the most part of euery one, and are much larger then any single kinde, smelling better, and more pleasing then the ordinary: this doth creepe vpon the ground as the other, but is more tender to be kept in the Winter. Yet if you saue the flowers hereof (and so will the double Featherfew also) when they haue stood long, and ready to fade, and keepe them dry vntill the Spring, and then breaking them or pulling them to peeces, sowe them, there will spring vp from them Camomill, and also Featherfew, that will againe beare double flowers.
Our ordinary Camomill groweth wilde in many places of our Country, and as well neare London as in other places. The others are onely found in our Gardens, where they are cherished. Bauhinus saith, that the double flowred Camomill is found wilde about Orleance in France.
The double kinde is vsually in flower in Iune, before the ordinary kinde, and most commonly past before it flowreth, which is not vntill Iuly or August. The naked Camomill flowreth betweene them both, or later.
Camomill is called Anthemis, Leucanthemis, and Leucanthemum, of the whitenesse of the flowers; and Chamæmælum of the corrupted Italian name Camomilla. Some call the naked Camomill, Chrysanthemum odoratum. The double Camomill is called by some Chamæmælum Romanum flore multiplici.
Camomill is put to diuers and sundry vses, both for pleasure and profit, both for inward and outward diseases, both for the sicke and the sound, in bathings to comfort and strengthen the sound, and to ease paines in the diseased, as also in many other formes applyed outwardly. The flowers boyled in Posset drinke prouoke sweat, and helpe to expell colds, aches, and other griefes. A Syrupe made of the iuice of the double Camomill, with the flowers and white wine, as Bauhinus saith, is vsed by some against the Iaundise and Dropsie, caused by the euill disposition of the splene.
| 1 | Parthenium flore pleno. Double Featherfew. |
| 2 | Chamæmælum nudum. Naked Camomill. |
| 3 | Chamæmælum flore pleno. Double Camomill. |
| 4 | Pyrethrum officinarum. Pelletory of Spaine. |
| 5 | Flos Adonis flore rubro & flore lutea. Adonis flower both red & yellow. |
| 6 | Helleborus niger ferulaceus siue Buphthalmum. The great Oxe eye or the great yellow Anemone. |
| 7 | Buphthalmum vulgare. The common yellow Oxe eye. |