Fig. 1662. Kinds of Thistle (1-4)

The Description.

            1. Among all the Thorns and Thistles, this is most full of prickles; the stalks thereof are very long, and seem to be cornered by reason of certain thin skins growing to them, being sent down forth of the leaves: the leaves are set round about with many deep gashes, being very full of prickles as well as the stalks: the heads are very thick set in every place with stiff prickles, and consist of a multitude of scales; out of which grow purple flowers, as they do out of other Thistles, seldom white: the root is almost straight, but it groweth not deep.

            2. To this also may be referred that which Lobel writeth to be named of the Italians Leo, and Carduus ferox, for it is so called of the wonderful sharp and stiff prickles, wherewith the whole plant aboundeth. The stalk thereof is short, scarce a handful high: the flower groweth forth of a prickly head, and is of a pale yellow colour, like that of Wild Bastard Saffron, and it is also environed and set round about on every side with long hard thorns and prickles.

            3. The third groweth seldom above a cubit or two foot high: it bringeth forth many round stalks, parted into divers branches; the leaves are like those of white Cotton Thistle, but lesser, and blacker, and not coverd with down or cotton: upon the tops of the stalks grow little heads like hedgehogs; out of which spring gallant purple flowers, that at length are turned into down, leaving seeds behind them like those of the other Thistles; the root consisteth of many small strings.

            4. The fourth riseth up with an higher stalk, now and then a yard long, round, and not so full of branches nor leaves, which are sharp and full of prickles, but lesser and narrower: the heads be also lesser, longer, and not so full of stiff prickles: the flowers are of a white colour, and vanish into down: the root is black, and of a foot long.

            5. This wild Thistle which groweth in the fields about Cambridge, hath an upright stalk, whereon do grow broad prickly leaves: the flowers grow on the tops of the branches, consisting of a flocky down, of a white colour tending to purple, of a most pleasant sweet smell, striving with the savour of musk: the root is small, and perisheth at the approach of winter. (I had no figure directly fitting this; wherefore I put that of Dodonæus his Onopordon, which may well serve for it, if the leaves were narrower, and more divided.)

            6. The Spear Thistle hath an upright stalk, garnished with a skinny membrane full of most sharp prickles: whereon do grow very long leaves, divided into divers parts, with sharp prickles; the point of the leaves are as the point of a spear, whereof it took his name: the flowers grow on the tops of the branches, set in a scaly prickly head, like unto the heads of Knapweed in form, consisting of many threads of a purple colour: the root consisteth of many tough strings.

            7. Theophrastus his fifth Thistle called Acarna, which was brought from Illyria to Venice, by the learned Valerandus Donrez, described by Theophrastus, hath horrible sharp yellow prickles, set upon his green indented leaves, which are covered on the back side with an hoary down (as all the rest of the plant) having a stalk of a cubit and a half high, and at the top certain scaly knops containing yellow thrummy flowers, armed or fenced with horrible sharp prickles: the root is long and thready.

            8.The other kind of fifth Thistle, being also another Acarna of Valerandus' description, hath long and large leaves, set full of sharp prickles, as though it were set full of pins: all the whole plant is covered with a certain hoariness, like the former: there ariseth up a stalk nine inches long, yea in some fertile grounds a cubit high, bearing the flower of Carduus benedictus, standing thick together, but lesser.

Fig. 1667. Bush-headed Thistle (9)

            9. This Thistle in the opinion of Bauhin, whereto I much incline, is the same with the former. The root is small, the leaves long, welting the stalks at their setting on, and armed on the edges with sharp prickles: the stalks lie trailing on the ground like those of the Star Thistle, so set with prickles, that one knoweth not where to take hold thereof: it hath many closely compact umbels, consisting of pale yellowish little flowers like those of Groundsel; the seed is like that of Carthamus, small and chaffy. Pena and Lobel call this Picnomos cretæ salonensis, of a place in Provence where they first found it, called the Crau, being not far from the city Salon. Tabernamontanus set it forth for Chamæleon niger, and our author formerly gave the figure hereof by the same title.

The Place.

            The two first grow on divers banks not far from Mount Apennine, and sometimes in Italy, but yet seldom.

            The Way Thistles grow everywhere by highways' sides and common paths in great plenty.

            The places of the rest have been sufficiently spoken of in their descriptions.

The Time.

            These kinds of Thistles do flower from the beginning of June until the end of September.

The Names.

            These Thistles comprehended in this present chapter are by one general name called in Latin Cardui sylvestres, or wild Thistles; and that which is the second in order is named Scolymus: but not that Scolymus which Theophrastus declareth to yield a milky juice (of which we have written before) but one of those which Pliny in his twentieth book, cap. 23. describeth: of some they are taken for kinds of Chamæleon: their several titles do set forth their several Latin names, and also the English.

            There was formerly much confuslon in this chapter, both in the figures and history, which I will here endeavour to amend, and give as much light as I can, to the obscurity of our Author and some others; to which end I have made choice of the names as the fittest place.

            1. This description was taken out of Dodonæus, and the title also of Onopordon which was formerly put over the figure, and they belong to the Thistle our author before described by the name of Acanthum purp. Illyricum, cap. 476. I have therefore changed the title, yet let the description stand, for it reasonable well agrees with the figure which is of the Carduus spinossimus vulgaris of Lobel, and Polyacantha theophrasti of Tabernamontanus. Of this Thistle I observe three kinds: the first is a Thistle some two cubits and a half high, with many slender stalks and branches exceeding prickly, having commonly five prickly welts running alongst the stalks: the leaves on the upper sides as also the stalks are of a reasonable fresh green colour, but the underside of the leaf is somewhat whitish: the heads consist of sundry hairy green threads which look like prickles, but they are weak, and not prickly: the flower is of the bigness, and of the like colour and shape as the common Knapweed, yet somewhat brighter: it grows on ditch sides, and flowers in July. This I take to be the Aculeosa gasæ of the Adversaria pag. 374, but not that which Lobel figures for it in his Icones. This is that which Tabernamontanus figures for Polyacantha, and our author gave his figure in this place. The second of these I take to be that which Lobel hath figured for Polyacantha, and Dodonæus for Carduus sylvatica 3, (which figure we here give you) and in the Hist. Lugd. Pag. 1473, it is both figured and described by the name of Polyanthus theophrasti. In the figure there is little difference: in the things themselves this; the stalks of this are as high as those of the last, but slenderer, with fewer and straighter branches, and commonly edged with four large welts, which have fewer, yet longer prickles than those of the former: the leaves and stalks of this are of a greyish or whitish colour: the heads are longish, but much smaller than those of the former, and they seldom open or spread abroad their flowers, but only show the tops of divers reddish threads of a faint colour. This grows as frequently as the former, and commonly in the same places. The third, which I think may fitly be referred unto these, grows on wet heaths and such like places, having a stalk sometimes four or five cubits high, growing straight up, with few branches, and those short ones: the flowers are of an indifferent bigness, and commonly purple, yet sometimes white. I think this may be the onopyxos alter lugdunensis: or the Carduus palustris described in Bouhin his Prodromus, pag. 156.

            2. The second, which is a stranger with us, is the Phœnix, Leo & Carduus ferox of Lobel and Dodonæus. Bauhin hath referred it to Acarna, calling it Acarna minor caule non folioso.

            3. The third description was also out of Dodonæus, being of his Carduus sylvestris primus, or the Onopyxos dodonæi of the Hist. Lugd.

            4. This description also was out of Dodonæus, being of his Carduus sylvestris alter, agreeing in all things but the colour of the flowers, which should be purple. Lobel in his Observations describeth the same Thistle by the name of Carduus vulgatissimus viarum: but both he and Dodonæus give the figure of Carlina sylvestris for it: but neither the flowers nor the heads of that agree with that description. I judge this to be the Thistle that Fabius Columna hath set forth for the Ceanothos of Theophrastus; and Tabernamontanus for Carduus arvensis.

            5. The Musk Thistle I have seen growing about Deptford, and (as far as my memory serves me) it is very like to the third here described: it grows better than a cubit high, with reasonable large leaves and also heads which are a little soft or downy, large, with purple flowers: the heads before the flowers open smell strong of musk. I have found no mention of this but only in Gesner, de Collectione in Parte, where he hath these words; Carduus arvensis major purpureo flore (qui flore nondum nato moschum olebat) floret Iulio.["The great thistle of the tillage fields (whose npopened flowers smell of musk) flowers in July"].

            There is sufficient of the rest in their titles and descriptions.

The Temperature and Virtues.

            A. These wild Thistles (according to Galen) are hot and dry in the second degree, and that through the property of their essence they drive forth stinking urine, if the roots be boiled in wine and drunk; and that they take away the rank smell of the body and arm-holes.

            B. Dioscorides saith, that the root of the common Thistle applied plasterwise correcteth the filthy smell of the arm holes and whole body.

            C. And that it works the same effect if it be boiled in wine and drunk, and that it expelleth plenty of stinking urine.

            D. The same author affirmeth also, that the herb being as yet green and tender is used to be eaten among other herbs after the manner of Asparagus.

            E. This being stamped before the flower appeareth, saith Pliny, and the juice pressed forth, causeth hair to grow where it is pilled off, if the place be bathed with the juice.

            F. The root of any of the wild Thistles being boiled in water and drunk, is reported to make them dry that drink it.

            G. It strengtheneth the stomach; and it is reported (if we believe it) that the same is also good for the matrix, that boys may be engendered: for so Chereas of Athens hath written, and Glaucias, who is thought to write most diligently of Thistles.

            H. This Thistle being chewed is good against stinking breath. Thus far Pliny, in his twentieth book, cap. 23.