Gerard's Herbal - Part 2
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| Fig. 620. Sea Lavender (1) |
Fig. 621. Rock Lavender (2) |
The Description.
1. There hath been among writers from time to time, great contention about this plant Limonium, no one author agreeing with another: for some have called this herb Limonium, some another herb by this name; & some in removing the rock, have mired themselves in the mud, as Matthiolus, who described two kinds, but made no distinction of them, nor yet expressed which was the true Limonium; but as a man herein ignorant, he speaks not a word of them. Now then to leave controversies and cavilling, the true Limonium is that which hath fair leaves, like the Lemon or Orange tree, but of a dark green colour, somewhat fatter, and a little crumpled: amongst which leaves riseth up an hard and brittle naked stalk of a foot high, divided at the top into sundry other small branches, which grow for the most part upon the one side, full of little bluish flowers, in show like Lavender, with long red seed, and a thick root like unto the small Dock.
2. There is a kind of Limonium like the first in each respect, but lesser; which groweth upon rocks and chalky cliffs.
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| Fig. 622. Sea Lavender with Indented Leaf (3) |
Fig. 623. Hollow-Leaved Sea Lavender (4) |
3. Besides these two here described, there is another elegant plant by Clusius and others referred to this kindred: the description thereof is thus; from a long slender root come forth long green leaves lying spread upon the ground, being also deeply sinuated on both sides, and somewhat roughish. Amongst these leaves grow up the stalks welted with slender indented skin, and towards their tops they are divided into sundry branches after the manner of the ordinary one, but these branches are also winged, and at their tops they carry flowers some four or five clustering together, consisting of one thin crisp or crumpled leaf of a light blue colour (which continues long, if you gather them in their perfect vigour, and so dry them) and in the midst of this blue comes up little white flowers, consisting of five little round leaves with some white threads in their middles. This plant was first observed by Rawolfius at Joppa in Syria: but it grows also upon the coasts of Barbary, and at Malaga and Cadiz in Spain: I have seen it growing with many other rare plants, in the Garden of my kind friend Mr. John Tradescant at South Lambeth.
4. Clusius in the end of his fourth Book Historić Plantarum, sets forth this, and saith, he received this figure with one dried leaf of the plant sent him from Paris from Claude Gonier an Apothecary of that city, who received it (as you see it here expressed) from Lisbon. Now Clusius describes the leaf that it was hard, and as if it had been a piece of leather, open on the upper side, and distinguished with many large purple veins on the inside, &c. for the rest of his description was only taken from the figure (as he himself saith) which I hold impertinent to set down, seeing I here give you the same figure, which by no means I could omit, for the strangeness thereof, but hope that some or other that travel into foreign parts may find this elegant plant, and know it by this small expression, and bring it home with them, that so we may come to a perfecter knowledge thereof.
The Place
1. The first groweth in great plenty upon the walls of the fort against Gravesend: but abundantly on the banks of the River below the same town, as also below the Kings Store-house at Chatham: and fast by the King's Ferry going into the Isle of Sheppey: in the salt marshes by Lee in Essex: in the Marsh by Harwich, and many other places.
The small kind I could never find in any other place but upon the chalky cliff going from the town of Margate down to the seaside, upon the left hand.
The Time.
They flower in June and July.
The Names.
It shall be needless to trouble you with any other Latin name than is expressed in their titles: the people near the seaside where it groweth do call it Marsh Lavender, and Sea Lavender.
This cannot be the Limonium of Dioscorides, for the leaves are not longer than a Beet, nor the stalk so tall as that of a Lily, but you shall find more hereafter concerning this in the chapter of Water Plantain. I cannot better refer this to any plant described by the ancients than to Britannica described by Dioscorides, lib. 4. cap. 2.
The Nature.
The seed of Limonium is very astringent or binding.
The Virtues.
A. The seed beaten into powder, and drunk in wine, helpeth the colic, strangury, and dysentery.
B. The seed taken as aforesaid, stayeth the overmuch flowing of women's terms, and all other fluxes of blood.
