Of variable Flower de-luce.

| 1 Iris lutea variegata. | 2 Iris Chalcedonica. | | :--- | :--- | | Variable Flower de-luce. | Turkie Flower de-luce. |

The description.

1 That which is called the Flower de-luce of many colours, loseth his leaues in winter, and in the springe time recouereth them a newe. I am not able to expresse the sundry colours and the mixtures, contained in this flower. It is mixed with purple, yellowe, blacke, white, and a fringe or thrum downe the middle of the lower leaues, of a whitish yellow tipped or frized, and as it were a little raised vp: of a deepe purple colour neere the ground. 2 The second kind hath long and narrow leaues of a blackish greene, like the stinking Gladdon, among which rise vp stalkes two foote long, bearing at the top of euery stalke one flower, compact of sixe great leaues. The three that stande vpright are confusedly and very strangely stripped, mixed with white and a duskish blacke colour. The three leaues that hang downward are like a gaping hood, and are mixed in like maner; but the white is nothing so bright as of the other, and are as it were shadowed ouer with a darke purple colour, somewhat shining: so that according to my iudgement, the whole flower is of the colour of a Ginnie hen: a rare and beautiful flower to behold. 3 The French Flower de-luce (whereof also there is another of the same kinde, altogither lesser,) haue their rootes without any fauour. In shew they differ little from the garden Flower de-luce, but that these latter are altogither slenderer, and vnpleasant in taste, growing plentifully in the rough crags of the rocks vnder the Alpes, and neere vnto the sea. The which Pena found in the grassie grauelly grounds of the sea coastes neere to Montpellier. The learned doctor Assatius a long time supposed it to be Medium Dioscorides: Matthiolus deceiued himselfe and others, in that he said, that the roote of this plant hath the sent of the peach: but my selfe haue prooued it to be without fauour at all. It yeeldeth his flowers in Iune, which are of all the rest most like vnto the grassie Flower de-luce. The taste of his roote is hot, bitter, and with much tenuitie of parts, as hath beene found by phisicall proofe. 3 Iris syluestris Bizantina. Wilde Bizantine Flower de-luce. 4 Narrow leafed Flower de-luce hath an infinite number of grassie leaues, much like vnto reede, among which rise vp many stalkes, much shorter than the leaues. On the endes of the same spring foorth two, sometimes three, right sweete & pleasant flowers, compact of nine leaues. Those three that hang downward, are greater than the rest, of a purple colour, stripped with white and yellow: but those three small leaues that appeere next are of a purple colour without mixture: those three that stand vpright are of an horseflesh colour, tipped with purple, and vnder ech of these leaues appeere three small browne aglets, like the toong of a small bird. 5 The small grassie Flower de-luce, differeth from the former in smalnes and thinnes of leaues, in other respects there is no difference.

The place.

These plants do grow in the gardens of London, amongst Herbarists and louers of plants. The Turkie Flower de-luce came from Constantinople, and doth prosper well in my garden, being not planted in ouer wet ground. 4 Chamæiris angustifolia. Narrow leafed Flower de-luce. <column-break/> 5 Chamæiris tenuifolia. Grassie Flower de-luce.

The time.

They flower from the beginning of March to the end of May.

The names.

The Turkie Flower de-luce is called in the Turkish toong Alaia Sufiani, with this additament from the Italians, Fiore Belle pintate, supposed of L'Obelius to be Medium of Dioscorides: in English French Flower de-luce.

The vertues.

The faculties and temperature of these rare and beautifull flowers, are referred to the other sorts of Flower de-luces, whereunto they do very well accord. There is an excellent oyle made of the Flowers and rootes of Flower de-luce, of ech a like quantitie, called Oleum Irinum, made after the same maner that oyle of Roses, Lilies, and such like be made: which oile profiteth much to strengthen the sinews and ioints, helpeth the crampe, proceeding of repletion, and the disease called in Greeke Peripneumonia. The flowers of French Flower de-luce distilled with Diatrion sandalon, and Cinnamom, and the water drunke, preuaileth greatly against the dropsie, as testifieth Hollerius and Gesnerus.