Fig. 1378. Kinds of Crowfoot (1-4)

The Kinds.

            There be divers sorts or kinds of these pernicious herbs comprehended under the name of Ranunculus, or Crowfoot, whereof most are very dangerous to be taken into the body, and therefore they require a very exquisite moderation, with a most exact and due manner of tempering, not any of them are to be taken alone by themselves, because they are of most violent force, and therefore have the greater need of correction.

            The knowledge of these plants is as necessary to the physician as of other herbs, to the end they may shun the same, as Scribonius Largos saith, and not take them ignorantly: or also, if necessity at any time require, that they may use them, and that with some deliberation and special choice, and with their proper correctives. For these dangerous simples are likewise many times of themselves beneficial, and oftentimes profitable: for some of them are not so dangerous, but that they may in some sort, and oftentimes in fit and due season profit and do good, if temperature and moderation be used: of which there be four kinds, as Dioscorides writeth; one with broad leaves, another that is downy, the third very small, and the fourth with a white flower: the later herbarists have observed also many more: all these may be brought into two principal kinds, so that one be a garden or tame one, and the other wild; and of these some are common, and others rare, or foreign. Moreover, there is a difference both in the roots and in the leaves; for one hath a bumped or knobby root, another a long leaf as Spearwort: and first of the wild or field Crowfoots, referring the reader unto the end of the stock and kindred of the same, for the temperature and virtues.

The Description.

            1. The common Crowfoot hath leaves divided into many parts, commonly three, someimes five, cut here and there in the edges, of a deep green colour, in which stand divers white spots: the stalks be round, something hairy, some of them bow down toward the ground, and put forth many little roots, whereby it taketh hold of the ground as it traileth along: some of them stand upright, a foot high or higher; on the tops whereof grow small flowers with five leaves apiece, of a yellow glittering colour like gold: in the middle part of these flowers stand certain small threads of like colour: which being past, the seeds follow, made up in a rough ball: the roots are white and thready.

            2. The second kind of Crowfoot is like unto the precedent, saving that his leaves are fatter, thicker, and greener, and his small twiggy stalks stand upright, otherwise it is like: of which kind it chanced, that walking in the field next to the Theatre by London, in the company of a worshipful merchant named Mr Nicolas Lete, I found one of this kind there with double flowers, which before that time I had not seen.

The Place.

            They grow of themselves in pastures and meadows almost everywhere.

The Time.

            They flower in May and many months after.

The Names.

            Crowfoot is called of Lobel, Ranunculus pratensis: of Dodonæus, Ranunculus hortensis, but unproperly: of Pliny, Polyanthemum, which he saith divers name Batrachion: in High Dutch, Schmalbluom: in low Dutch, Boter Bloemen; in English, King Kob, Gold cups, Gold knobs, Crowfoot, and Butter-flowers.

The Description.

            3. The third kind of Crowfoot, called in Latin Ranunculus arvuorum, because it grows commonly in fallow fields where corn hath been lately sown, and may be called Corn Crowfoot, hath for the most part an upright stalk of a foot high, which divides itself into other branches: whereon do grow fat thick leaves very much cut or jagged, resembling the leaves of Samphire, but nothing so green, but rather of an overworn colour. The flowers grow at the top of the branches, compact of five small leaves of a faint yellow colour: after which come in place clusters of rough and sharp pointed seeds. The root is small and thready.

            4. The fourth Crowfoot, which is called Ranunculus alpinus, because those that have first written thereof have not found it elsewhere but upon the Alpish mountains (notwithstanding it groweth in England plentifully wild, especially in a wood called Hampstead Wood, and is planted in gardens) hath divers great fat branches two cubits high, set with large leaves like the common Crowfoot, but greater, of a deep green colour, much like to those of yellow Aconite, called Aconitum luteum ponticum. The flowers consist of five white leaves, with small yellow chives in the middle, smelling like the flowers of May or Hawthorn, but more pleasant. The roots are greater than any of the stock of Crowfoots.

The Place and Time.

            Their place of growing is touched in their description: their time of flowering and seeding answereth the other of their kinds.

The Names.

            The white Crowfoot of the Alps and French mountains is the fourth of Dioscorides his description; for he describeth his fourth to have a white flower: more hath not been said touching the names, yet Tabernamontanus calls it Batrachium album: in English, White Crowfoot.

The Description.

            5. Among the wild Crowfoots there is one that is surnamed Illyricus, which brings forth slender stalks, round, and of a mean length: whereupon do grow long narrow leaves cut into many long gashes, something white, and covered with a certain downiness: the flowers be of a pale yellow colour: the root consisteth of many small bumps as it were grains of corn, or little long bulbs growing close together like those of Pilewort. It is reported, that it was first brought out of Illyria into Italy, and from thence into the Low Countries: notwithstanding we have it growing very common in England, but only in gardens that I have seen.

            6. The sixth kind of Crowfoot, called Ranunculus bulbosus, or Onion-Rooted Crowfoot, and Round-Rooted Crowfoot, hath a round knobby or onion-fashioned root, like unto a small Turnip, and of the bigness of a great Olive: from the which rises up many leaves spread upon the ground, like those of the Field Crowfoot, but smaller, and of an overworn green colour: amongst which rise up slender stalks of the height of a foot: whereupon do grow flowers of a faint yellow colour. This grows wild in most places, and flowers at the beginning of May.

The Place.

            It is also reported to be found not only in Illyria and Slavonia, but also in the island Sardinia, standing in the Midland, or Mediteranian sea.

The Names.

            This Illyrian Crowfoot is named Apium sylvestre, or Wild Smallage: also Herba sardoa: it may be, saith my author, that kind of Crowfoot called Apium risus; and this is thought to be that Golotophillis, of which Pliny maketh mention in his 24th book, 17th chap. which being drunk, saith he, with wine and myrrh, causeth a man to see divers strange sights, and not to cease laughing till he hath drunk pineapple kernels with pepper in wine of the date tree, (I think he would have said until he be dead) because the nature of laughing Crowfoot is thought to kill laughing, but without doubt the thing is clean contrary; for it causeeth such convulsions, cramps and wringings of the mouth and jaws, that it hath seemed to some that the parties have died laughing, whereas in truth they have died in great torment.

Fig. 1381. Kinds of Crowfoot (7-10)

The Description.

            7. The seventh kind of Crowfoot called Auricomus, of the golden locks wherewith the flower is thrummed, hath for his root a great bush of blackish hairy strings; from which shoot forth small jagged leaves, not much unlike to Sanicle, but divided only into three parts, yet sometimes into five; among which rise up branched stalks of a foot high, whereon are placed the like leaves but smaller, set about the top of the stalks, whereon do grow yellow flowers, sweet smelling, of which it hath been called Ranunculus dulcis tragi, or Tragus his sweet Crowfoot. It grows in meadows and about the sides of woods, and flowers in April.

            8. Frog Crowfoot, called of Pena, Aconitum batrachioides: of Dodonæus, Batrachion apulei, is that formerly described in the fourth place, whereto this is much alike, but that the stalks and leaves are larger, as also the flowers, which are white: the root is tough and thready.

            9. The ninth Crowfoot hath many grassy leaves, of a deep green tending to blueness, somewhat long, narrow and smooth, very like unto those of the Small Bistort, or Snakeweed, among which rise up slender stalks, bearing at the top small yellow flowers like the other Crowfoots: the root is small and thready. There is a variety of this having double flowers; and I have given you the figure thereof.

            10. The autumn or winter Crowfoot hath divers broad leaves spread upon the ground, snipped about the edges, of a bright shining green colour on the upper side, and hoary underneath, full of ribs or sinews as are those of Plantain, of an unpleasant taste at the first, afterward nipping the tongue: among which leaves rise up sundry tender footstalks, on the tops whereof stand yellow flowers consisting of six small leaves apiece: after which succeed little knops of seed like to a dry or withered strawberry. The root is compact of a number of limber roots, rudely thrust together in manner of the Asphodel.

            11. The Portugal Crowfoot hath many thick clogged roots fastened unto one head, very like those of the yellow Asphodel, from which rise up three leaves, seldom more, broad, thick, and puffed up in divers places, as if it were a thing that were blistered, by means whereof it is very uneven. From the middle of which leaves riseth up a naked stalk, thick, fat, very tender, but yet fragile, or easy to break: on the end whereof standeth a fair single yellow flower, having in the middle a naked roundel of a gold yellow tending to a Saffron colour.

            12. The Globe Crowfoot hath very many leaves deeply cut and jagged, of a bright green colour like those of the field Crowfoot, among which riseth up a a stalk, divided toward the top into other branches, furnished with the like leaves of those next the ground, but smaller: on the tops of which branches grow very fair yellow flowers, consisting of a few leaves folded or rolled up together like a round ball or globe: whereupon it was called. Ranunculus globosus, or the Globe Crowfoot, or Globe flower: which being past, there succeed round knops, wherein is blackish seed. The root is small and thready.

            13. This hath large leaves like those of the last described, but rough and hairy: the stalk is four foot high; the flowers are pretty large, composed of five white sharpish pointed leaves. It flowers in July, and grows in the Alps: it is the Ranunculi montani 2 species altera of Clusius.

            14. This other hath leaves not unlike those of the precedent, and such stalks also; but the flowers consist of round leaves, purplish beneath; the edges of the upper side are of a whitish purple, & the residue wholly white, with many yellow threads in the middle; it grows in the mountain Jura, against the city of Geneva, whereas it flowers in June, and ripens the seed in August. Clusius had the figure and description hereof from Dr. Penny, and he calls it Ranunculus montanus 3.

The Place.

            The twelfth kind of Crowfoot groweth in most places of Yorkshire and Lancashire, and other bordering shires of the North country, almost in every meadow, but not found wild in these Southerly or Westerly parts of England that I could ever understand of.

The Time.

            It flowereth in May and June: the seed is ripe in August.

The Names.

            The Globe-Flower is called generally Ranunculus globosus, of some, Flos trollius, and Ranunculus alpinus, in English, Globe Crowfoot, Troll-Flowers, and Lockron Gowlons.