Gerard's Herbal - Part 2
Fig. 429. Cuckoo-Flowers and Lady-Smocks (1-4)
The Description.
1. The first of the Cuckoo-flowers hath leaves at his springing up somewhat round, and those that spring afterward grow jagged like the leaves of Greek Valerian: among which riseth up a stalk a foot long, set with the like leaves, but smaller, and more jagged, resembling those of Rocket. The flowers grow at the top in small bundles, white of colour, hollow in the middle, resembling the white Sweet-John: after which do come small chaffy husks or seed vessels, wherein the seed is contained. The root is small and thready.
2. The second sort of Cuckoo-flowers hath small jagged leaves like those of small Water Valerian, agreeing with the former in stalks and roots: the flowers be white, overdashed or declining toward a light carnation.
3. The leaves and stalks of this are like those of the last described; neither are the flowers which first show themselves much unlike them; but when as they begin to fail in their middle rise up heads of pretty double flowers made of many leaves, like in colour to these of the single.
4. The fourth sort of Cuckoo-flowers groweth creeping upon the ground, with small thready stalks, whereon do grow leaves like those of the field Claver, or three-leaved Grass: amongst which do come up small and tender stalks two handfuls high, having flowers at the top in greater quantity than any of the rest, of colour white; and after them follow cods containing a small seed. The root is nothing else but as it were a bundle of thrums or threads.
5. Milk-white Lady-Smock hath stalks rising immediately from the root, dividing themselves into sundry small twiggy and hard branches, set with leaves like those of Serpillum. The flowers grow at the top, made of four leaves of a yellowish colour: the root is tough and woody, with some fibres annexed thereto. This is no other than the first described, differing only therefrom in that the flowers are milk white.
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| Fig. 430. Mountain Lady-Smock (6) |
Fig. 431. Impatient Lady-Smock. |
6. Mountain Lady-Smock hath many roots, nothing else but as it were a bundle of thready strings, from the which do come forth three or four small weak or tender leaves made of sundry small leaves, in show like to those of small water Valerian. The stalks be small and brittle, whereupon do grow small flowers like the first kind.
7. I should be blameworthy if in this place I omitted that pretty conditioned Sium which is kept in divers of our London gardens, and was first brought hither by that great treasurer of nature's rarities, Mr. John Tradescant. This plant hath leaves set many upon a rib, like as the other Sium described in the second place hath; but they are cut in with two or three pretty deep gashes: the stalk is some cubit high, & divided into many branches, which have many small white flowers growing upon them: after these flowers are past there follow small long cods containing a small white seed. Now the nature of this plant is such, that if you touch but the axis when as the seed is ripe, though you do it never so gently, yet will the seed fly all abroad with violence, as disdaining to be touched: whence they usually call it Noli me tangere ["Don't touch me"]; as they for the like quality name the Persicaria siliquosa. The nature of this plant is somewhat admirable, for if the seeds (as I said) be fully ripe, though you put but your hand near them, as proffering to touch them, though you do it not, yet will they fly out upon you, and if you expect no such thing, perhaps make you afraid by reason of the suddenness thereof. This herb is written of only by Prosper Alpinus, under the title of Sium Minimum and it may be called in English, Impatient Lady-smock, or Cuckoo-flower. It is an annual, and yearly sows itself by the falling seeds.
Fig. 432. Dwarf Daisy-Leaved Lady-Smock of the Alps (8)
8. The leaves of this somewhat resemble those of Daisies, but less, and lie spread upon the ground, amongst which rises up a weak and slender stalk set with 3 or 4 leaves at certain distances, it being some handful high, the top is adorned with small white flowers consisting of four leaves apiece, after which follow large and long cods, considering the smallness of the plant; within these in a double order is contained a small reddish seed, of somewhat a biting taste. The root creeps upon the top of the ground, putting up new buds in divers places. Clusius found this growing upon the rocks on the Etscherian mountain in Austria, and hath given us the history and figure thereof under the name of Plantula cardamines emula, and Sinapi pumulum alpinum.
The Time and Place.
That of the Alpish mountains is a stranger in these cold countries: the rest are to be found everywhere, as aforesaid, especially in the castle ditch at Clare in Essex. The seventh grows naturally in some places of Italy.
These flower for the most part in April and May, when the Cuckoo doth begin to sing her pleasant notes without stammering.
The Names.
They are commonly called in Latin, Flos cuculi, by Brunfelsius and Dodonĉus, for the reason aforesaid; and also some call them Nasturtium aquaticum minus, or lesser water-cress: of some, Cardamine, and Sisymbrium alterum of Dioscorides: it is called in the German tongue, Wildercresz: in French, Passerage sauvage: in English, Cuckoo-flowers; in Norfolk, Canterbury Bells: at Nantwich in Cheshire, where I had my beginning, Lady-Smocks, which hath given me cause to christen it after my country fashion.
The Nature and Virtues.
These herbs be hot and dry in the second degree: we have no certain proof or authority of their virtues, but surely from the kinds of Water-Cress they cannot much differ, and therefore to them they may be referred in their virtues.
