The Description

            1. This which Clusius received from Doctor Thomas Penny of London, and sets forth by the same title as you find it here expressed, hath a root consisting of sundry long and small bulbs, and which is fibrous towards the top: the stalk is a cubit high, jointed, and red near unto the root, and about the joints: out of each of these joints come two leaves which are fastened unto somewhat long footstalks, and divided into five parts, which also are snipped about the edges: out of each of which joints by the setting on the footstalks come forth five little sharp pointed leaves: the flowers grow by couples upon the tops of the stalks, and are of a reddish purple colour. It grows wild in Denmark; whence Dr. Turner brought it, and bestowed it upon Dr. Penny before mentioned.

            2. This hath stalks some foot high, jointed, and of a purplish colour: upon which grow leaves divided into three parts; but those below are cut into five, and both the one and the other are snipped about the edges: the flowers are composed of five reddish purple leaves of a pretty largeness, with a reddish pointel in the middle; and falling, the seed follows, as in other plants of this kind: the root is knotty, and jointed, with some fibres: it flowers in May, and so continueth a great part of the summer after. Clusius calls this Geranium 5. nodosum, Plateau. This sometimes is found to carry tuberous excrescences upon the stalks, toward the later end of summer, whence Plateau distinguished it from the other, but afterwards found it to be the same; and Clusius also figures and describeth this later variety by the name of Geranium 6. tuberiferum Plateau.

Fig. 1374. Silver-Leaved Mountain Crane's-Bill (3)

            3. The root of this is some two handfuls long, black without, and white within, and towards the top divided into sundry parts; whence put forth leaves covered over with a fine silver down; and they are divided into five parts, each of which again is divided into three others, and they are fastened to long slender and round footstalks: the flowers grow upon footstalks shorter than those of the leaves; the flowers in colour and shape are like those of the Vervain Mallow, but much less; and after it is faded there follows a short bill, as in the other plants of this kind. It flowers in July, and grows upon the Alps, where Pona found it, and first set it forth by the name of Geranium alpinum longius radicatum.

            4. The stalks of this pretty Crane's-Bill are some foot or better high, whereon grow leaves parted into five or six parts like those of the Geranium fuscum, but of a lighter green colour: the flowers are large, composed of five thin and soon fading leaves of a whitish colour, all over intermixed with fine veins of a reddish colour, which add a great deal of beauty to the flower: for these veins are very small, and curiously dispersed over the leaves of the flower. It flowers in June, and is preserved in divers of our gardens; some call it Geran. romanum striatum: in the Hortus Estettensis it is set forth by the name of Geranium anglicum variegatum. Bauhin calls it Geranium batrachioides flore variegato. We may call it Variegated or Striped Crane's-Bill.

            5. There is of late brought into this kingdom; and to our knowledge, by the industry of Mr John Tradescant, another more rare and no less beautiful than any of the former; and he had it by the name of Geranium indicum noctu odoratum; this hath not as yet been written of by any that I know; therefore I will give you the description thereof, but cannot as yet give you the figure, because I omitted the taking thereof the last year, and it is not as yet come to his perfection. The leaves are larger, being almost a foot long, composed of sundry little leaves of an unequal bigness, set upon a thick and stiff middle rib; and these leaves are much divided and cut in, so that the whole leaf somewhat resembles that of Tanacetum inodorum: and they are thick, green, and somewhat hairy: the stalk is thick, and some cubit high; at the top of each branch, upon footstalks some inch long grow some eleven or twelve flowers, and each of these flowers consisteth of five round pointed leaves of a yellowish colour, with a large black purple spot in the middle of each leaf; as if it were painted, which gives the flower a great deal of beauty, and it also hath a good smell. I did see it in flower about the end of July, 1632, being the first time that it flowered with the owner thereof. We may fitly call it Sweet Indian Stork's-Bill, or Painted Stork's-Bill: and in Latin, Geranium Indicum odoratum flore maculato.