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Of Rough Binde-Weed

The Description.

ALthough we have great plenty of the roots of this Bindeweed of Peru, which we usually call Zarza, or Sarsa parilla, wherewith divers griefes and maladies are cured, and that these roots are very well knowne to all; yet such hath beene the carelesnesse and small providence of such as have travelled into the Indies, that hitherto not any have given us instruction sufficient, either concerning the leaves, floures, or fruit: onely Monardus saith, that it hath long roots deepe thrust into the ground: which is as much as if a great learned man should tell the simple, that our common carrion Crow were of a blacke colour. For who is so blinde that seeth the root it selfe, but can easily affirme the root to be very long? Notwithstanding, there is in the reports of such as say they have seene the plant it selfe growing, some contradiction or contrarietie: some report that it is a kind of Bindweed, and especially one of these rough Bind-weeds: others, as one Mr. White an excellent painter, who carried very many people into Virginia (or after some Norembega) there to inhabit, at which time he did see thereof great plenty, as he himselfe reported unto me, with this bare description; It is (saith he) the root of a small shrubby tree, or hedge tree, such as are those of our country called Haw-thorns, having leaves resembling those of Ivy, but the floures or fruit he remembreth not. Dagger It is most certaine, that Sarsa parilla is the root of the Americane Smilax aspera, both by consent of most Writers, and by the relation of such as have seene it growing there. (Dagger) 2 The common rough Bind-weed hath many branches set full of little sharpe prickles, with certaine clasping tendrels, wherewith it taketh hold upon hedges, shrubs, and whatsoever standeth next unto it, winding and clasping it selfe about from the bottome to the top; where on are placed at every joint one leafe like that of Ivie, without corners, sharpe pointed, lesser and harder than those of smooth Binde-weed, oftentimes marked with little white spots, and garded or bordered about the edges with crooked prickles. The floures grow at the top of crooked stalks of a white colour, and sweet of smell. After commeth the fruit like those of the wilde Vine, greene at the first, and red when they be ripe, and of a biting taste; wherein is contained a blackish seed in shape like that of hempe. The root is long, somewhat hard, and parted into very many branches.

The Place.