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Of Two Feigned Plants

The Description. 1 Have thought it convenient to conclude the historie of the Hyacinths with these two bulbous Plants, received by tradition from others, though generally holden for feigned and adulterine. Their pictures I could willingly have omitted in this historie, if the curious eye could elsewhere have found them drawne and described in our English Tongue: but because I finde them in none, I will lay them downe here, to the end that it may serve for excuse to others who shall come after, which list not to describe them, being as I said condemned for feined and adulterine nakedly drawne onely. The floures (saith the Author) are no lesse strange than wonderfull. The leaves and roots are like to those of Hyacinths. The floures resemble the Daffodils or Narcissus. The whole plant consisteth of a woolly or flockie matter: which description with the Picture was sent unto Dodonaeus by Johannes Aicholzius. 2 The second feigned picture hath beene taken of the Discoverer and others of late time, to be a kinde of Dragons not seene by any that have written thereof; which hath moved them to thinke it a feigned picture likewise; notwithstanding you shall receive the description thereof as it hath come to my hands. The root (saith my Author) is bulbous or Onion fashion, outwardly blacke; from the which spring up long leaves, sharpe pointed, narrow, and of a fresh greene colour: in the middest of which leaves rise up naked or bare stalkes, at the top whereof groweth a pleasant yellow floure, stained with many small red spots here and there confusedly cast abroad: and in the middest of the floure thrusteth forth a long red tongue or stile, which in time groweth to be the cod or seed-vessell, crooked or wreathed, wherein is the seed. The vertues and temperature are not to be spoken of, considering that we assuredly persuade our selves that there are no such plants, but meere fictions and devices, as we terme them, to give his friend a gudgeon.