Gerard's Herbal - Part 2
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| Fig. 445. Towers Mustard (1) |
Fig. 446. Great Towers Mustard |
The Description.
1. Towers Mustard hath been taken of some for a kind of Cresses, and referred by them to it: of some, for one of the Mustards, and so placed among the Thlaspies as a kind thereof; and therefore myself must needs bestow it somewhere with others. Therefore I have with Clusius and Lobel placed it among the Thlaspies, as a kind thereof. It cometh out of the ground with many long and large rough leaves, like those of Hounds-Tongue, especially those next the ground: amongst which riseth up a long stalk of a cubit or more high, set about with sharp pointed leaves like those of Woad. The flowers grow at the top, if I may term them flowers, but they are as it were a little dusty chaff driven upon the leaves and branches with the wind: after which come very small cods, wherein is small reddish seed like that of Cameline or English Wormseed, with a root made of a tuft full of innumerable threads or strings.
2. This second kind hath a thicker and harder root than the precedent, having also fewer fibres; the leaves are bigger than those of the last described, somewhat curled or sinuated, yet less, rough, and of a lighter green; in the midst of these there rise up one or two stalks or more, usually some two cubits high, divided into four branches, which are adorned with leaves almost ingirting them round at their setting on. The flowers are like those of the former, but somewhat larger, and the colour is either white, or a pale yellow: after these succeed many long cods filled with a seed somewhat larger than the last described.
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| Fig. 447. Gold of Pleasure (3) |
Fig. 448. Treacle Wormseed |
3. Gold of Pleasure is an herb with many branches set upon a straight stalk, round, and divided into sundry wings, in height two cubits. The leaves be long, broad, and sharp pointed, somewhat snipped or indented about the edges like those of Sow-Thistles, The flowers along the stalks are white; the seed contained in round little vessels is fat and oily.
4. Treacle Wormseed riseth up with tough and pliant branches, whereupon do grow many small yellow flowers; after which come long slender cods like Flux-weed, or Sophia, wherein is contained small yellowish seed, bitter as Wormseed or Coliquintida. The leaves are small and dark of colour, in shape like those of the wild Stock-Gillyflowers, but not so thick, nor fat. The root is small and single.
The Place.
Towers Treacle groweth in the West part of England, upon dunghills and such like places. I have likewise seen it in sundry other places, as at Pyms by a village called Edmonton near London, by the City Ovals of Westchester in corn fields, and where flax did grow about Cambridge. The second is a stranger with us; yet I am deceived if I have not seen it growing in Mr. Parkinson's garden.
The other grow in the territory of Leiden in Zeeland, and many places of the Low Countries; and likewise wild in sundry places of England.
The Time.
These herbs do flower in May and June, and their seed is ripe in September.
The Names.
1. This is Turritis of Lobel: Turrita vulgatior of Clusius.
2. This is Turrita maior of Clusius, who thinks it to be Brassica virgata of Cordus.
3. Matthiolus calls this, Pseudomyagrum: Tragus calls it, Sesamum: Dodonĉus, Lobel, and others call it Myagrum.
4. This Lobel calls Myagrum thlaspi effigio. Tabernamontanus hath it twice; first under the name of Erysimum tertium: secondly, of Myagrum secundum.
The Temperature.
These plants be hot and dry in the third degree.
The Virtues.
A. It is thought, saith Dioscorides, that the roughness of the skin is polished and made smooth with the oily fatness of the seed of Myagrum.
B. Ruellius teacheth, That the juice of the herb healeth ulcers of the mouth; and that the poor peasant doth use the oil in banquets, and the rich in their lamps.
C. The seed of Camelina stamped, and given children to drink, killeth the worms, and driveth them forth both by siege and vomit.
