Fig. 1553. Kinds of Nigella (1-4)

The Kinds.

            There be divers sorts of Gith or Nigella, differing some in the colour of the flowers, others in the doubleness thereof, and in smell of the seed.

The Description.

            1. The first kind of Nigella hath weak and brittle stalks of the height of a foot, full of branches, beset with leaves very much cut or jagged, resembling the leaves of Fumitory, but much greener: the flowers grow at the top of the branches, of a whitish blue colour, each flower being parted into five small leaves, star fashion: the flowers being faded, there come up small knobs or heads, having at the end thereof five or six little sharp horns or pointels, and every knob or head is divided into sundry small cells or partitions, wherein the seed is contained, which is of a blackish colour, very like unto onion seed, in taste sharp, and of an excellent sweet savour.

            2. The wild Nigella hath a streaked stalk a foot or more high, beset full of greyish leaves, very finely jagged, almost like the leaves of Dill: the flowers are like the former, save that they are bluer: the cods or knops are like the heads or husks of Columbines, wherein is contained the sweet and pleasant seed, like the former.

            3. The third kind of Nigella, which is both fair and pleasant, called Damask Nigella, is very like unto the wild Nigella in his small cut and jagged leaves, but his stalk is longer: the flowers are like the former, but greater, and every flower hath five small green leaves under him, as it were to support and bear him up: which flowers being gone, there succeed and follow knops and seed like the former, but without smell or savour.

            4. This in the smallness, and shape of the leaves and the manner of growing is like to the last described, having small leaves growing under the flower, which is not single, as in the last described, but double, consisting of five or more ranks of little bluish leaves, which are succeeded by such cornered heads as those of the former, having in them a black seed without any manifest smell.

            5. The fifth kind of Nigella hath many small and slender stalks, set full of slender and thin leaves deeply cut or jagged, of a faint yellowish green colour: the flowers grow at the top of the stalks, of a whitish colour, and exceeding double: which being faded, there succeed bowls or knobs, full of sweet black seed like the former: the root is small and tender.

            6. The root of this is slender, and yellowish; the stalk some cubit high, round, green, crested, and toward the top divided into sundry branches, the leaves toward the bottom are somewhat small cut, but somewhat larger upon the stalks. The flower is much larger than any of the former, composed of five leaves, of a light blue above, and somewhat whitish underneath, with large veins running about them: in the middle stands up the head, encompassed with black threads, and some 7 or 8 little gaping bluish flowers at the bottoms of them; the leaves of the flowers decaying, the head becomes bigger, having at the tops thereof 6, 7, or 8 longish twined horns growing in a star fashion; the inside is parted into cells containing a yellowish green, or else blackish seed. It is set forth in the Hortus Eystettensis by the name of Melanthium hispanicum maius; by Mr. Parkinson it is called Nigella hispanica flore simplici; and Bauhin in his Prodromus hath it by the name of Nigella latifolia flore maiore simplici cæruleo. It is an annual plant, and flowers in July; it is sometimes to be found in the gardens of our florists.

The Place.

            The tame are sown in gardens: the wild ones do grow of themselves among corn and other grain, in divers countries beyond the seas.

The Time.

            The seed must be sown in April: it flowereth in July and August.

The Names.

            Gith is called in Greek and Latin Melanthium: in shops, Nigella, and Nigella romana: of divers, Gith, and Salusandria, and some among the former bastard names, Papaver nigrum: in High Dutch, Swartzkymmich: in low Dutch Nardus saet: in Italian, Nigella: in Spanish, Axenuz, Alipiure: in French, Nielle odorante: in English Gith, and Nigella Romana, in Cambridgeshire, Bishop's Wort: and also Divæ Catherinæ flos, Saint Katharine's flower.

The Temperature.

            The seed of the garden Nigella is hot and dry in the third degree, and of thin parts.

The Virtues.

            A. The seed of Nigella romana drunk with wine is a remedy against the shortnes of breath, dissolveth and putteth forth windiness, provoketh urine, the menses, increaseth milk in the breasts of nurses if it be drunk moderately, otherwise it is not only hurtful to them, but to any that take thereof too often or in too great a quantity.

            B. The seed killeth and driveth forth worms, whether it be taken with wine or water, or laid to the navel in manner of a plaster.

            C. The oil that is drawn forth thereof hath the same property.

            D. The seed parched or dried at the fire, brought into powder, and wrapped in a piece of fine lawn or sarsenet, cureth all murrs, catarrhs, rheums and the pose, drieth the brain, and restoreth the sense of smelling unto those which have lost it; being often smelled unto from day to day, and made warm at the fire when it is used.

            E. It takes away freckles, scurfs, and hard swellings, being laid on mixed with vinegar. To be brief, as Galen saith, it is a most excellent remedy where there is need of cleansing, drying, and heating.

            F. It serveth well among other sweets to put into sweet waters, bags, and odoriferous powders.