Fig. 616. Kinds of Wintergreen (1-4)

The Description.

            1. Pyrola hath many tender and very green leaves, almost like the leaves of Beet, but rather in my opinion like to the leaves of a Pear-tree, whereof it took his name Pyrola, for that it is Pyriformis. Among these leaves cometh up a stalk garnished with pretty white flowers, of a very pleasant sweet smell, like Lillium convallium, or the Lily of the Valley. The root is small and thready, creeping far abroad under the ground.

            2. This differs from the last described in the slenderness of the stalks, and smallness of the leaves and flowers: for the leaves of this are not so thick and substantial, but very thin, sharp pointed, and very finely snipped about the edges, black, and resembling a Pear-tree leaf. The flowers are like those of the former, yet smaller and more in number: to which succeed five-cornered seed vessels with a long pointel as in the precedent: the root also creeps no less than that of the former, and here and there puts up new stalks under the moss. It grows upon the Austrian and Styrian Alps, and flowers in June and July.

            3. This is an elegant plant, and sometimes becomes shrubby, for the new and short branches growing up each year, do remain firm and green for some years, and grow straight up, until at length borne down by their own weight they fall down and hide themselves in the moss. It hath commonly at each place where new branches grow forth, two, three, or four thick very green and shining leaves, almost in form and magnitude like to the leaves of Laureola, yet snipped about the edges, of a very drying taste, and then bitterish. From among these leaves at the spring of the year new branches shoot up, having small leaves like scales upon them, and at their tops grow flowers like to those of the first described, yet somewhat larger, of a whitish purple colour; which fading, are succeeded by five-cornered seed vessels containing a very small seed; the roots are long & creeping. It grows a little from Vienna in Austria in the woods of Enzersdorf, and in divers places of Bohemia and Silesia.

            4. This from creeping roots sends up short stalks, set at certain spaces with small, round, and thin leaves, also snipped about the edges, amongst which upon a naked stem grows a flower of a pretty bigness consisting of five white sharpish pointed leaves with ten threads, and a long pointel in the midst. The seed is contained in such heads as the former, and it is very small. This grows in the shadowy places of the Alps of Sneberge, Hochbergerin, Duerrenstein, towards the roots of these great mountains. Clusius.

Fig. 617. One-blade (5)

            5. Monophyllon, or Unifolium, hath a leaf not much unlike the greatest leaf of Ivy, with many ribs or sinews like the Plantain leaf; which single leaf doth always spring forth of the earth alone, but when the stalk riseth up, it bringeth upon his sides two leaves, in fashion like the former; at the top of which slender stalk come forth fine small flowers like Pyrola; which being faded, there succeed small red berries. The roots is small, tender, and creeping far abroad under the upper face of the earth.

The Place.

            1. Pyrola groweth in Lonsdale, and Craven, in the North part of England, especially in a close called Crag-close.

            5. Monophyllon groweth in Lancashire in Dingley wood, six miles from Preston in Aunderness and in Harwood, near to Blackburn likewise.

The Time.

            1 Pyrola flowereth in June and July, and groweth winter and summer.

            5. Monophyllon flowereth in May, and the fruit is ripe in September.

The Names.

            1. Pyrola is called in English Winter-Green: it hath been called Limonium of divers, but untruly.

            5. Monophyllon, according to the etymology of the word, is called in Latin Unifolium: in English, One-blade, or One-leaf.

The Nature.

            1. Pyrola is cold in the second degree, and dry in the third.

            5. Monphyllon is hot and dry of complexion.

The virtues.

            A. Pyrola is a most singular wound-herb, either given inwardly, or applied outwardly; the leaves whereof stamped and strained, and the juice made into an unguent, or healing salve, with wax, oil, and turpentine, doth cure wounds, ulcers, and fistulas, that are mundified from the callous & tough matter, which keepeth the same from healing.

            B. The decoction hereof made with wine, is commended to close up and heal wounds of the entrails, and inward parts: it is also good for ulcers of the kidneys, especially made with water, and the roots of Comfrey added thereto.

            C. The leaves of Monophyllon, or Unifolium are of the same force in wounds with Pyrola, especially in wounds among the nerves and sinews. Moreover, it is esteemed of some late writers a most perfect medicine against the pestilence, and all poisons, if a dram of the root be given in vinegar mixed with wine or water, and the sick go to bed and sweat upon it.