Of the French or African Marigolds there are three kindes as principall, and of each of them both with single and double flowers: of these, some diuersity is obserued in the colour of the flowers, as well as in the forme or largenesse, so that as you may here see, I haue expressed eight differences, and Fabius Columna nine or ten, in regard hee maketh a diuersity of the paler and deeper yellow colour: and although the lesser kinde, because of its euill sent, is held dangerous, yet for the beauty of the flower it findeth roome in Gardens.
This goodly double flower, which is the grace and glory of a Garden in the time of his beauty, riseth vp with a straight and hard round greene stalke, hauing some crests or edges all along the stalke, beset with long winged leaues, euery one whereof is like vnto the leafe of an Ash, being composed of many long and narrow leaues, snipt about the edges, standing by couples one against another, with an odde one at the end, of a darke or full greene colour: the stalke riseth to be three or foure foote high, and diuideth it selfe from the middle thereof into many branches, set with such like leaues to the toppes of them, euery one bearing one great double flower, of a gold yellow colour aboue, and paler vnderneath, yet some are of a pale yellow, and some betweene both, and all these rising from one and the same seede: the flower, before it be blowne open, hath all the leaues hollow; but when it is full blowne open, it spreadeth it selfe larger then any Prouince Rose, or equall vnto it at the least, if it be in good earth, and riseth out of a long greene huske, striped or furrowed, wherein after the flower is past, (which standeth in his full beauty a moneth, and oftentimes more, and being gathered, may be preserued in his full beauty for two moneths after, if it be set in water) standeth the seede, set thicke and close together vpright, which is blacke, somewhat flat and long: the roote is full of small strings, whereby it strongly comprehendeth in the ground: the flower of this, as well as the single, is of the very smell of new waxe, or of an honie combe, and not of that poisonfull sent of the smaller kindes.
This single Marigold is in all things so like vnto the former, that it is hard to discerne it from the double, but by the flowers, onely the stalke will be browner then the double; and to my best obseruation, hath and doth euery yeare rise from the seede of the double flower: so that when they are in flower, you may see the difference (or not much before, when they are in bud) this single flower euer appearing with thrums in the middle, and the leaues, which are the border or pale standing about them, shewing hollow or fistulous, which after lay themselues flat and open (and the double flower appearing with all his leaues folded close together, without any thrum at all) and are of a deeper or paler colour, as in the double.
3. Flos Africanus fistuloso flore simplex & multiplex. Single and double French Marigolds with hollow leafed flowers.
As the former two greatest sorts haue risen from the seede of one and the same (I meane the pod of double flowers) so doe these also, not differing from it in anything, but that they are lower, and haue smaller greene leaues, and that the flower also being smaller, hath euery leafe abiding hollow, like vnto an hollow pipe, broad open at the mouth, and is of as deepe a yellow colour for the most part as the deepest of the former, yet sometimes pale also.
The lesser double French Marigold hath his leaues in all things like vnto the former, but somewhat lesser, which are set vpon round browne stalkes, not so stiffe or vpright, but bowing and bending diuers wayes, and sometimes leaning or lying vpon the ground: the stalkes are branched out diuersly, whereon are set very faire double flowers like the former, and in the like greene huskes, but smaller, and in some the outermost leaues will be larger then any of the rest, and of a deeper Orenge colour, almost crimson, the innermost being of a deepe gold yellow colour, tending to crimson; the whole flower is smaller, and of a stronger and more vnpleasant sauour, so that but for the beautifull colour, and doublenesse of the flower, pleasant to the eye, and not to any other sense, this kinde would finde roome in few Gardens: the rootes and seedes are like the former, but lesser.
This single kinde doth follow after the last in all manner of proportion, both of stalkes, leaues, seedes, and rootes: the flowers onely of this are single, hauing fiue or six broad leaues, of a deepe yellow crimson colour, with deepe yellow thrummes in the middle, and of as strong a stinking sent, or more then the last.
They growe naturally in Africa, and especially in the parts about Tunis, and where old Carthage stood, from whence long agoe they were brought into Europe, where they are onely kept in Gardens, being sowne for the most part euery yeare, vnlesse in some milde Winters. The last single and double kindes (as being more hardy) haue sometimes endured: but that kinde with hollow leafed flowers, as Fabius Columna setteth it downe, is accounted to come from Mexico in America.
They flower not vntill the end of Summer, especially the greater kindes: but the lesser, if they abide all the Winter, doe flower more early.
They haue been diuersly named by diuers men: Some calling them Caryophyllus Indicus, that is, Indian Gilloflowers, and Tanacetum Perüvianum, Tansie of Peru, as if it grew in Peru, a Prouince of America; and Flos Indicus, as a flower of the Indies; but it hath not been knowne to haue beene brought from thence. Others would haue it to be Othonna of Plinie, and others; some to be Lycopersicum of Galen. It is called, and that more truely, Flos Tunetensis, Flos Africanus, and Caltha Africana, that is, the flower of Tunis, the flower of Africa, the Marigold of Africa, and peraduenture Pedna Pænorum. We in English most vsually call them, French Marigolds, with their seuerall distinctions of greater or smaller, double or single. To that with hollow leafed flowers, Fabius Columna giueth the name of Fistiloso flore, and I so continue it.
| 1 | Flos Africanus maximus multiplex. The greatest double French Marigold. |
| 2 | Flos Africanus maior multiplex. The greater double French Marigold. |
| 3 | Flos Africanus maximus simplex. The greatest single French Marigold. |
| 4 | Flos Africanus multiplex fistulosus. The double hollow French Marigold. |
| 5 | Flos Africanus simplex fistulosus. The single hollow French Marigold. |
| 6 | Flos Africanus minor multiplex. The smaller double French Marigold. |
| 7 | Flos Africanus minor multiplex alter. Another sort of the lesser double French Marigold. |
| 8 | Flos Africanus minor simplex. The lesser single French Marigold. |
We know no vse they haue in Physicke, but are cherished in Gardens for their beautifull flowers sake.