The Descripion.

            1. The Spanish Orpine sendeth forth round stalks, thick, slippery, having as it were little joints, somewhat red now and then about the root: the leaves in like manner be thick, smooth, gross, full of tough juice, sometimes slightly nicked in the edges, broader-leaved, and greater than those of Purslane; otherwise not much unlike; which by couples are set opposite one against another upon every joint, covering the stalk in order by two and two: the flowers in the round tufts are of a pale yellow: the root groweth full of bumps like unto long kernels, waxing sharp toward the point: these kernels be white, and have strings growing forth of them.

            2. The second, which is our common Orpine, doth likewise rise up with very many round stalks that are smooth, but not jointed at all: the leaves are gross or corpulent, thick, broad and oftentimes somewhat nicked in the edges, lesser than those of the former, placed out of order. The flowers be either red or yellow, or else whitish: the root is white, well bodied, and full of kernels. This plant is very full of life: the stalks set only in clay continue green a long time; and if they be now and then watered they also grow. We have a wild kind of Orpine growing in corn fields and shadowy woods in most places of England, in each respect like that of the garden, saving that it is altogether lesser.

The Place.

            They prosper best in shadowy and stony places, in old walls made of loam or stone. Oribasius saith, That they grow in vineyards and tilled places. The first groweth in gardens; the other everywhere: the first is much found in Spain and Hungary; neither is Germany without it; for it groweth upon the banks of the river of Rhine near the vineyards, in rough and stony places, nothing at all differing from that which is found in Spain.

            The second groweth plentifully both in Germany, France, Bohemia, England, and in other countries among vines, in old loamy daubed and stony walls.

The Time.

            The Orpines flower about August or before.

The Names.

            1. The first is that which is called of the Latins, Telephium, and Sempervivum sylvestre, and Illecebra: but Illecebra by reason of his sharp and biting quality doth much differ from it, as we have declared in the former chapter. Some there be that name it Portulaca sylvestris: yet there is another Portulaca sylvestris, or wild Purslane, like to that which groweth in gardens, but lesser: we may call this in English, Spanish Orpine, Orpine of Hungary, or jointed Orpine.

            2. The second kind of Orpine is called in shops Crassula, and Crassula fabaria and Crassula maior, that it may differ from that which is described in the chapter of little Houseleek: it is named also Fabaria: in High Dutch, Mundkraut, Knavenkraut, Fortzwang, and Fotzweyn: in Italian, Faba grassa: in French, Ioubarbe des vignes, Feue espesse: in Low Dutch, Smer wortele, and Hemel sleutel: in English, Orpine; also Liblong, or Live-long.

The Temperature.

            The Orpines be cold and dry, and of thin or subtle parts.

The virtues.

            A. Disocorides saith, That being laid on with vinegar it taketh away the white morphew: Galen saith the black also; which thing it doth by reason of the scouring or cleansing quality that it hath. Whereupon Galen attributeth unto it an hot faculty, though the taste showeth the contrary: which aforesaid scouring faculty declareth, that the other two also be likewise cold. But cold things may as well cleanse, if dryness of temperature and thinness of essence be joined together in them.