The Description.

1. Colutea and Senna be so near the one unto the other in shape and show, that the unskilful herbarists have deemed Colutea to be the right Senna. This bastard Senna is a shrubby plant growing to the form of a hedge bush or shrubby tree: his branches are straight, brittle, and woody; which being carelesly broken off, and as negligently pricked or stuck in the ground, will take root and prosper at what time of the year soever it be done; but slipped or cut, or planted in any curious sort whatsoever, among an hundred one will scarcely grow: these boughs or branches are beset with leaves like Sena or Securidaca, not much unlike Liquorice: among which come forth fair broom-like yellow flowers, which turn into small cods like the sound of a fish or a little bladder, which will make a crack being broken between the fingers: wherein are contained many black flat seeds of the bigness of tares, growing upon a small rib or sinew within the cod: the root is hard, and of a woody substance.

2. Bastard Senna with Scorpion Cods is a small woody shrub or bush, having leaves, branches, and flowers like unto the former bastard Senna, but less in each respect: when his small yellow flowers are fallen there succeed little long crooked cods like the long cods or husks of Matthiolus his Scorpioides, whereof it took his name: the root is like the root of the Box tree, or rather resembling the roots of Dulcamara or Bitter-Sweet, growing naturally in the shadowy woods of Valena in Narbonne; whereof I have a small plant in my garden, which may be called Scorpion Senna.

3. The low or dwarf Colutea of Clusius' description, hath a thick woody root covered with a yellowish bark, with many fibres annexed thereto, which bringeth forth yearly new shoots whereby it greatly increaseth, of a cubit and a half high, smooth, and of a green colour; whereon do grow leaves composed of six or seven leaves and sometimes nine, set upon a middle rib like those of the common kind, of a styptic taste, with some sharpness or biting: the flowers grow upon slender footstalks, long and naked like those of the Pea, and of a yellow colour, of little or no smell at all, and yet that little nothing pleasant: after which come forth long cods, wherein is contained small seed like those of the Strangle Tare.

4. This Mountain Bastard Senna hath stalks, leaves, and roots like the last described. The flowers grow on the tops of the branches in manner of a crown; whereupon some have called it Coronilla: in shape like those of the Pea, and of a yellow colour: the cods as yet we have not seen, and therefore not expressed in the figure.

5. This small bastard Senna groweth like a small shrub creeping upon the ground, half a cubit high, bringing forth many twiggy branches, in manner of those of the Spanish Broom; whereupon do grow leaves like those of Lentils or the Strangle Tare, with many small leaves set upon a middle rib, somewhat fat or full of juice, of the colour of the leaves of Rue or Herb-Grace, of an astringent and unpleasant taste: the flowers grow at the tops of the branches, of a yellow colour, in shape like those of the smallest Broom: after which come little crooked cods like the claws or toes of a bird, wherein is contained seed somewhat long, black, and of an unsavoury taste: the root is long, hard, tough, and of a woody substance.

6. There is also found another sort hereof, not much differing from the former, saving that this plant is greater in each respect, wherein especially consisteth the difference.

The Place.

Colutea or bastard Senna groweth in divers gardens, and cometh up of seed; it quickly cometh to perfection, insomuch that if a stick thereof be broken off and thrust into the ground, it quickly taketh root, yea although it be done in the middle of summer, or at any other time, even as the sticks of willow and elder, as myself have often proved; which bring forth flowers and fruit the next year after.

The second with Scorpion cods groweth likewise in my garden: the last doth grow in divers barren chalky grounds of Kent towards Sittingbourne, Canterbury, and about Southfleet; I have not seen them elsewhere: the rest are strangers in England.

The Time.

They flower from May till summer be well spent, in the mean season the cods bring forth ripe seed.

The Names.

This shrub is called in Latin, as Gaza expoundeth it, Coloutea or Colutea: in High Dutch, Welch Linsen: in French, Baguenaudier: they are deceived that think it to be Senna, or any kind thereof, although we have followed others in giving it to name Bastard Senna, which name is very unproper to it: in Low Dutch it is called Sene Boom: and we may use the same name Senna tree, in English.

This Colutea, or Bastard Senna, doth differ from that plant Colytea, of which Theophrastus writeth in his third book. The fifth is the Polygala valentina of Clusius.

The Nature and Virtues.

A. Theophrastus, neither any other hath made mention of the temperature or faculties in working of these plants, more than that they are good to fatten cattle, especially sheep.