Gerard's Herbal - Part 2
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| Fig. 577. Purple Wind-Flower (1) |
Fig. 578. Double Scarlet Wind-Flower (2) |
The Kinds.
The stock or kindred of the Anemones or Wind-Flowers, especially in their varieties of colours, are without number, or at the least not sufficiently known unto any one that hath written of plants. For Dodonĉus hath set forth five sorts; Lobel eight; Tabernamontanus ten: myself have in my garden twelve different sorts: and yet I do hear of divers more differing very notably from any of these; which I have briefly touched, though not figured, every new year bringing with it new and strange kinds; and every country his peculiar plants of this sort, which are sent unto us from far countries, in hope to receive from us such as our country yieldeth.
The Description.
1. The first kind of Anemone or Wind-Flower hath small leaves very much snipped or jagged almost like unto Camomile, or Adonis flower: among which riseth up a stalk bare or naked almost unto the top; at which place is set two or three leaves like the other: and at the top of the stalk cometh forth a fair and beautiful flower compact of seven leaves, and sometimes eight, of a violet colour tending to purple. It is impossible to describe the colour in his full perfection, considering the variable mixtures. The root is tuberous or knobby, and very brittle.
2. The second kind of Anemone hath leaves like to the precedent, insomuch that it is hard to distinguish the one from the other but by the flowers only: for those of this plant are of a most bright and fair scarlet colour, and as double as the Marigold; and the other not so. The root is knobby and very brittle, as is the former.
Fig. 579. Kinds of Wind-Flower (3-5)
3. The great Anemone hath double flowers, usually called the Anemone of Chalcedon (which is a city in Bithynia) and great broad leaves deeply cut in the edges, not unlike to those of the field Crow-Foot, of an overworn green colour: amongst which riseth up a naked bare stalk almost unto the top, where there stand two or three leaves in shape like the others, but lesser; sometimes changed into reddish stripes, confusedly mixed here and there in the said leaves. On the top of the stalk standeth a most gallant flower very double, of a perfect red colour, the which is sometimes striped amongst the red with a little line or two of yellow in the middle; from which middle cometh forth many blackish thrums. The seed is not to be found that I could ever observe, but is carried away with the wind. The root is thick and knobby.
4. The fourth agreeth with the first kind of Anemone, in roots, leaves, stalks, and shape of flowers, differing in that, that this plant bringeth forth fair single red flowers, and the other of a violet colour, as aforesaid.
5. The fifth sort of Anemone hath many small jagged leaves like those of Coriander, proceeding from a knobby root resembling the root of Bulbocastanum or Earth Chestnut. The stalk rises up amongst the leaves of two hands high, bearing at the top a single flower, consisting of a pale or border of little purple leaves, sometimes red, and often of a white colour set about a blackish pointel, thrummed over with many small blackish hairs.
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| Fig. 580.Broad-Leaved Wind-Flower (6) |
Fig. 581. Double Yellow Wind-Flower. (7) |
6. The sixth hath very broad leaves in respect of all the rest of the Anemones, not unlike to those of the common Mallow, but green on the upper part, and tending to redness underneath, like the leaves of Sow-Bread. The stalk is like that of the last described, on the top whereof grows a fair yellow star-flower, with a head ingirt with yellow thrums. The root (saith my author) is a finger long, thick and knobby.
7. There is also another whose lower leaves resemble those of the last described, yet those which grow next above them are more divided or cut in: amongst these leaves riseth up a stalk some foot high the top whereof is adorned with a flower consisting of two ranks of leaves, whereof those on the outside are larger, rounder pointed, and sometimes snipped in a little; the rest are narrower and sharper pointed: the colour of these leaves is yellow, deeper on the inside, and on the outside there are some small purple veins running alongst these leaves of the flower. The root is some two inches long, the thickness of one's little finger, with some tuberous knobs hanging thereat.
Fig. 582. Kinds of Wind-Flower (8-11)
8. The eighth hath many large leaves deeply cut or jagged, in shape like those of the Stork's-Bill or Pink-Needle; among which riseth up a naked stalk, set about toward the top with the like leaves, but smaller and more finely cut, bearing at the top of the stalk a single flower consisting of many small blue leaves, which do change sometimes into purple, and oftentimes into white, set about a blackish pointel, with some small threads like unto a pale or border. The root is thick and knobby.
9. The ninth sort of Anemone hath leaves like unto the garden Crow-Foot: the stalk riseth up from amongst the leaves, of a foot high, bearing at the top fair white flowers made of five small leaves on the middle whereof are many little yellow chives or threads. The root is made of many slender threads or strings, contrary to all the rest of the Wind-Flowers.
10. The tenth sort of Anemone hath many leaves like unto the common meadow Trefoil; slightly snipped about the edges like a saw: on the top of the slender stalks standeth a single white flower tending to purple, consisting of eight small leaves, resembling in shape the flowers of common field Crow-Foot. The root is knobby, with certain strings fastened thereto.
11. The eleventh kind of Anemone hath many jagged leaves cut even to the middle rib, resembling the leaves of Geranium columbinum, or Dove's-Foot. The leaves that do embrace the tender weak stalks are flat and slightly cut: the flowers grow at the top of the stalks, of a bright shining purple colour, set about a blackish pointel, with small thrums or chives like a pale. The root is knobby, thick, and very brittle, as are most of those of the Anemones.
The Place.
All the sorts of Anemones are strangers, and not found growing wild in England; notwithstanding all and every sort of them do grow in my garden very plentifully.
The Time.
They do flower from the beginning of January to the end of April, at what time the flowers do fade, and the seed flieth away with the wind, if there be any seed at all; the which I could never as yet observe.
The Names.
Anemone, or Wind-Flower is so called for the flower doth never open itself but when the wind doth blow, as Pliny writeth: whereupon also it is named of divers Herba venti: in English, Wind-Flower.
Those with double flowers are called in the Turkey tongue Giul, and Giul catamer: and those with jagged leaves and double flowers are called Lalé benzede, and Gallipoli lalé. they do call those with small jagged leaves and single flowers Binizate & binizade, and Binizante.
The Temperature.
All the kinds of Anemones are sharp, biting the tongue; and of a binding quality.
The Virtues.
A. The leaves stamped, and the juice sniffed up into the nose purgeth the head mightily.
B. The root champed or chewed procureth spitting, and causeth water and phlegm to run forth out of the mouth, as Pellitory of Spain doth.
C. It profiteth in collyries for the eyes, to cease the inflammation thereof.
D. The juice mundifieth and cleanseth malign, virulent, and corrosive ulcers.
E. The leaves and stalks boiled and eaten of nurses cause them to have much milk: it provoketh the terms, and easeth the leprosy, being bathed therewith.
