This flowred in the Garden of Mʳ. Richard Barnesley at Lambeth, onely once in the moneth of May, in the yeare 1606, after hee had there preserued it a long time: but neither he, nor any else in England that I know, but those that saw it at that time, euer saw it beare flower, either before or since.
The Names.
It is called by diuers Bulbus Eriophorus, or Laniferus, that is, Woolly Bulbous; but because it is a Iacinth, both in roote, leafe, and flower, and not a Narcissus, or Daffodill, it is called Hyacinthus Eriophorus, or Laniferus, The Woolly Iacinth. It is very likely, that Theophrastus in his seuenth Book & thirteenth Chapter, did meane this plant, where hee declareth, that garments were made of the woolly substance of a bulbous roote, that was taken from between the core or heart of the roote (which, as he saith, was vsed to be eaten) and the outermost shels or peelings; yet Clusius seemeth to fasten this woolly bulbous of Theophrastus, vpon the next Iacinth of Spaine.
{Spanish starry Iacinth}
Hyacinthus Stellatus Bæticus maior, vulgò Perüanus. The great Spanish Starry Iacinth, or of Peru.
This Iacinth (the greatest of those, whose flowers are spread like a starre, except the two first Indians) hath fiue or six, or more, very broad, and long greene leaues, spread vpon the ground, round about the roote, which being broken are woolly, or full of threeds, like the former: in the middle of these leaues riseth vp a round short stalke, in comparison of the greatnesse of the plant (for the stalke of the Orientall Iacinth is sometimes twice so high, whose roote is not so great) bearing at the toppe a great head or bush of flowers, fashioned in the beginning, before they bee blowne or separated, very like to a Cone or Pineapple, and begin to flower belowe, and so vpwards by degrees, euery flower standing vpon a long blackish blew foote-stalke, which when they are blowne open, are of a perfect blew colour, tending to a Violet, and made of six small leaues, laid open like a starre; the threeds likewise are blewish, tipt with yellow pendents, standing about the middle head, which is of a deeper blew, not hauing any good sent to be perceiued in it, but commendable only for the beauty of the flowers: after the flowers are past, there come three square heads, containing round blacke seede: the roote is great, and somewhat yellowish on the outside, with a knobbe or bunch at the lower end of the roote, (which is called the seate of the roote) like vnto the Muscari, Scylla, and many other bulbous rootes, at which hang diuers white, thicke, and long fibres, whereby it is fastened in the ground, which perish not euery yeare, but abide continually, and therefore doth not desire much remouing.
Hyacinthus Stellatus Bæticus, siue Perüanus flore albo. The great white Spanish starry Iacinth.
This other Spanish Iacinth is in most parts like vnto the former, but that his leaues are not so large, nor so deep a greene: the stalks of flowers likewise hath not so thicke a head, or bush on it, but fewer and thinner set: the flowers themselues also are whitish, yet hauing a small dash of blush in them: the threeds are whitish, tipt with yellow pendents: the seede and rootes are like vnto the former, and herein consisteth the difference betweene this and the other sorts.
Hyacinthus Stellatus Bæticus, siue Perüanus flore carneo. The great blush coloured Spanish Starry Iacinth.
This likewise differeth little from the two former, but onely in the colour of the flowers; for this being found growing among both the other, hath his head of flowers as great and large as the first, but the buds of his flowers, before they are open, are of a deepe blush colour, which being open, are more delayed, and of a pleasant pale purple, or blush colour, standing vpon purplish stalkes: the heads in the middle are whitish, and so are the threeds compassing it, tipt with yellow.