Gerard's Herbal - Part 3
Fig. 1006. Wild Basil (1) Fig. 1007. Stone Basil (2)
The Description.
1. The wild Basil or Acynos, called of Pena, Clinopodium vulgare, hath square hairy stems, beset with little leaves like unto the small Basil, but much smaller, and more hairy, sharp pointed, and a little snipped towards the end of the leaf, with small flowers of a purple colour, fashioned like unto the garden Basil. The root is full of hairy threads, and creepeth along the ground, and springeth up yearly anew of itself without sowing. This is the Clinopodoium altera of Matthiolus.
2. This kind of wild Basil called amongst the Gręcians Achynis, which by interpretation is Sine semine,["seedless"] or Sterilis, hath caused sundry opinions and great doubts concerning the words of Pliny and Theophrastus, affirming that this herb hath no flowers nor seeds; which opinions I am sure of mine own knowledge to be without reason: but to omit controversies, this plant beareth purple flowers, whorled about square stalks, rough leaves and hairy, very like in shape unto Basil: the stalks are some cubit and more high, parted into few branches, and set at certain spaces with leaves growing by couples. This is the Clinopodium vulgare of Matthiolus, and that of Cordus, Gesner, and others; it is the Acinos of Lobel.
Fig. 1008. Fish Basil (3)
3. Serapio and others have set forth another wild Basil under the title of Molochia; and Lobel after the mind of John Brancion, calleth it Corcoros, which we have Englished, Fish Basil, the seeds whereof the said Brancion received from Spain saying that Corcorus plinii hath the leaves of Basil: the stalks are two handfuls high, the flowers yellow, growing close to the stalks, bearing his seed in small long cods. The root is compact and made of an innumerable company of strings, creeping far abroad like running Thyme. This figure of Lobel's which here we give you is (as Camerarius hath observed) unperfect, for it expresses not the long cods wherein the seed is contained, neither the two little strings or beards that come forth at the setting on of each leaf to the stalk.
4. This sends up many little square stalks some handful and an half high, seldom divided into branches: at each joint stand two small greenish leaves, little hairy, and not divided or snipped about the edges, and much like those of the next described, as you see them expressed in the figure: the little hollow and somewhat hooded flowers grow in roundels towards the tops of the stalks, as in the first described, and they are of a bluish violet colour. The seeds I have not yet observed; the root is fibrous and woody, and lasts for many years. The whole plant hath a pretty pleasing but weak smell. It flowers in July and August. I first observed it Anno 1626, a little on this side Pontefract in Yorkshire, and since by Dartford in Kent, and in the Isle of Thanet. I have sometimes seen it brought to Cheapside market, where the herb women called it Poley mountain, some it may be that have taken it for Polium montanum misinforming them. Clusius first took notice of this plant, and called it Acinos anglicum, finding it growing in Kent, Anno 1581, and he thinks it to be the Acinos of Dioscorides: now the virtues attributed by Disocorides to his Acinos are set down at the end of the chapter under the letter B.
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| Fig. 1009. Austrian Field Basil (5) |
Fig. 1010. Alpine Wild Basil (6) |
5. This which Clusius hath also set forth by the name of Clinopodium, or Acinos austriacum, doth not much differ from the last described, for it hath tender square hard stalks like those of the last described, set also with two leaves at each joint, here and there a little snipped (which is omitted in the figure); the flowers grow only at the tops of the stalks, and these pretty large, and of a violet colour (yet they are sometimes found white:) they hang commonly forward, and as is were with their upper parts turned down. The seed vessels are like those of the first described, and contain each of them four little black seeds: This flowers in May, and the seed is ripe in June: It grows about the baths of Baden and in divers places of Austria.
6. Pena also hath given us knowledge of another, that from a fibrous root sends up many quadrangular rough branches, of the height of the two former, set also with two leaves at each joint, and these rough and lightly snipped about the edges; the flowers grow thick together at the tops of the stalks of a dark red colour, and in shape like those of the Mountain Calamint. It flowers in the beginning of July, and grows upon mount Baldus in Italy; Pena sets it forth by the name of Clinopodium alpinum.
7. To these I think fit to add another, whose dercription was sent me by Mr. Goodyer, and I question whether it may not be the plant which Fabius Columna, Phytobasani, pag. 23, sets forth by the name of Acinus dioscoridis; for he makes his to be endued odore fragrantissimo ["of most fragrant scent"]: but to the purpose.
Acinus odoratissimum.
This herb hath four, five, or more, four-square hard woody stalks growing from one root, divided into many branches, covered with a soft white hairines, two or three foot long or longer, not growing upright, but trailing upon the ground; the leaves grow on little, short footstalks by couples of a light green colour, somewhat like the leaves of Basil, very like the leaves of Acinos lobelii, but smalller, about three quarters of an inch broad, and not fully an inch long, somewhat sharp pointed, lightly notched about the edges, also covered with a light soft hoary hairiness; of a very sweet smell, little inferior to garden Marjoram, of a hot biting taste: out of their bosoms grow other smaller leaves, or else branches; the flowers also grow forth of the bosoms of the leaves toward the tops of the stalks and branches, not in whorls like the said Acinos, but having one little short footstalk growing forth of the bosom of each leaf, on which is placed three, four, or more small flowers, gaping open, and divided into four unequal parts at the top, like the flowers of Basil, and very near of the likeness and bigness of the flowers of garden Marjoram, but of a pale bluish colour tending towards a purple. The seed I never observed by reason it flowered late. This plant I first found growing in the garden of Mr. William Yalden in Sheet near Petersfield in Hampshire, Anno 1620, amongst sweet Marjoram, and which by chance they bought with the seeds thereof. It is to be considered whether the seeds of sweet Marjoram degenerate and send forth this herb or not. 11 October, 1621. John Goodyer.
The Place.
The wild kinds do grow upon gravelly grounds by water sides, and especially I found the three last in the barren plain by an house in Kent two miles from Dartford, called Saint John's, in a village called Sutton; and Clinopodium vulgare groweth in great plenty upon Longfield downs in Kent. So saith our author, yet I cannot be persuaded that ever he found any of the four he described ever wild in this kingdom, unless the second, which grows plentifully in autumn almost by every hedge: also the fourth being of my description grows near Dartford and in many such dry barren places in sundry parts of the kingdom.
The Time.
These herbs flower in June and July.
The Names.
Unprofitable Basil, or Wild Basil is called by some Clinopodium.
The Nature.
The seed of these herbs are of complexion hot and dry.
The Virtues.
A. Wild Basil pound with wine appeaseth the pain of the eyes, and the juice doth mundify the same, and putteth away all obscurity and dimness, all catarrhs and flowing humours that fall into the eyes, being often dropped into the same.
B. The Stone Basil howsoever it be taken stoppeth the lask, and courses; and outwardly applied it helps hot tumours and inflammations.
C. These plants are good for all such effects as require moderate heat and astriction.
