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Of the Persian Lilly

The Description.

THe Persian Lilly hath for his root a great white bulbe, differing in shape from the other Lillies, having one great bulbe firme or solid, full of juice, which commonly each yere setteth off or encreaseth one other bulbe, and sometimes more, which the next yere after is taken from the mother root, and so bringeth forth such floures as the old plant did. From this root riseth up a fat thicke and straight stem of two cubits high, whereupon is placed long narrow leaves of a greene colour, declining to blewnesse as doe those of the woad. The floures grow alongst the naked part of the stalk like little bels, of an overworn purple colour, hanging down their heads, every one having his own footstalke of two inches long, as also his pestell or clapper from the middle part of the floure; which being past and withered, there is not found any seed at all, as in other plants, but is encreased only in his root. The Place.

This Persian Lilly groweth naturally in Persia and those places adjacent, whereof it tooke his name, and is now (by the industry of Travellers into those countries, lovers of plants) made a denizon in some few of our London gardens.

The Time.

This plant floureth from the beginning of May to the end of June. There is not any thing known of the nature or vertues of this Persian Lilly, esteemed as yet for his rarenesse and comely proportion; although (if I might bee so bold with a stranger that hath vouchsafed to travell so many hundreds of miles for our acquaintance) wee have in our English fields many scores of floures in beauty far excelling it.