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Of Stinking Orach

The Description.

STinking Orach growes flat upon the ground and is a base and low plant with many weake and feeble branches, whereupon doe grow small leaves of a grayish colour, sprinckled over with a certaine kind of dusty mealinesse, in shape like the leaves of Basill: amongst which leaves here and there confusedly be the seeds dispersed, as it were nothing but dust and ashes. The whole plant is of a most loathsome savour or smell; upon which plant if any should chance to rest and sleepe, hee might very well report to his friends, that he had reposed himselfe among the chiefe of Scoggins heires. The Place.

It groweth in the most filthy places that may bee found. Sometime it is found in places neere Bricke kilns and old walls, which doth somwhat alter his smell, which is like tosted cheese: but that which groweth in his natural place smels like stinking salt-fish, whereof it tooke his name Garosmus. The Time.

It is an hearbe for a yeare, which springeth up, and when the seed is ripe it perisheth, and recovereth it selfe againe of his owne seed; so that if it be gotten into a ground, it cannot bee destroyed.

The Names.

Stinking Orach is called of Cordus, Garosmus, because it smelleth like stinking fish: for it smelleth more stinking than the rammish male Goat: whereupon some by a figure have called it Vulvaria: and it may be called in English, stinking Mother-wort.

The Nature and Vertues.

There hath bin nothing set downe by the Antients, either of his nature or vertues.