The diligence of these later times hath been such to find out the Materia medica of the ancients, that there is scarce any plant described by them, but by some or other of late there have been two or more several plants referred thereto: and thus it hath happened unto that which Dioscorides lib. 3, cap. 174, hath set forth by the name of Coris; and presently describes after the kinds of Hypericon. Some also call this Hypericon; to which Matthiolus and others have fitted a plant, which is indeed a kind of Hypericon, as you may perceive by the figure and description which I give you in the first place. Some (as Hesychius) refer it to Chamæpytis, (and indeed by Dioscorides it is placed between Androsæmum and Chamæpytis) and to this that which is described by Pena and Lobel in the Adversaria and by Clusius in his History, may fitly be referred: this I give you in the second place.

The Description.

            1. The first hath a woody thick and long lasting root, which sendeth up many branches some foot or more high, and it is set at certain spaces with round leaves like those of the small Glass-Wort or Sea-Spurry, but shorter: the tops of the stalks are divided into sundry branches, which carry flowers like those of St. John's Wort, of a whitish red colour, with threads in their middles having little yellow pendants. It grows in Italy and other hot countries, in places not far from the sea side. This is thought to be the true Coris, by Matthiolus, Gesner, Lonicerus, Lacuna, Bellus, Pona, and others.

2.  This from a thick root red on the outside sendeth up sundry stalks, some but an handful, other some a foot or more long, stiff, round, purplish, set thick with leaves like those of Heath, but thicker, more succulent and bitter, which sometimes grow orderly, and otherwhiles out of order. The spikes or heads grow on the tops of the branches, consisting of a number of little cups, divided into five sharp points, and marked with a black spot in each division: out of these cups comes a flower of a blue purple colour, of a most elegant and not fading colour; and it is composed of four little bifid leaves, whereof the two uppermost are the larger: the seed, which is round and blackish, is contained in seed-vessels having points somewhat sharp or prickly. It flowers in April and May, and is to be found growing in many places of Spain, as also about Montpellier in France; whence Pena and Lobel called it Coris monspeliaca; and Clusius, Coris quorundam gallorum & hispanorum.

The Temperature.

            These plants seem to be hot in the second or third degree.

The Virtues.

            A. Dioscorides saith, That the seed of Coris drunk move the courses and urine, are good against the biting of the spider Phalangium, the sciatica; and drunk in wine, against that kind of convulsion which the Greeks call opisthotonos, (which is when the body is drawn backwards) as also against the cold fits in agues. It is also good anointed with oil, against the aforesaid convulsion.