4. Ornithogalum vulgare. The Starre of Bethlehem.
The ordinary Starre of Bethlehem is so common, and well knowne in all countries and places, that it is almost needlesse to describe it, hauing many greene leaues with white lines therein, and a few white flowers set about the toppe of the stalke, with greenish lines downe the backe: the roote is whitish, and encreaseth aboundantly.
5. Asphodelus bulbosus Galeni, siue Ornithogalum maius flore subuirescente. The bulbous Asphodill, or greene Starre-flower.
Diuers haue referred this plant vnto the Asphodils, because (as I thinke) the flowers hereof are straked on the backe, and the leaues long and narrow, like vnto the Asphodils; but the roote of this being bulbous, I rather (as some others doe) ioyne it with the Ornithogala, for they also haue strakes on the backe of the flowers. It hath many whitish greene leaues, long and narrow, spread vpon the ground, which spring vp in the beginning of the yeare, and abide vntill May, and then they withering, the stalke springeth vp almost as high as the first, hauing many pale yellowish greene flowers, but smaller, and growing more sparsedly about the stalke vpon short foot-stalkes, but in a reasonable long head spike-fashion: the seede is like vnto the second kinde, but smaller: the roote is somewhat yellowish, like the first great white kinde.
| 1 | Ornithogalum Arabicum. The great starre-flower of Arabia. |
| 2 | Ornithogalum maximum album. The greatest white starre-flower. |
| 3 | Ornithogalum maius spicatum album. The great white spiked starre-flower. |
| 4 | Ornithogalum Pannonicum album. The Hungarian starre-flower. |
| 5 | Asphodelus bulbosus Galeni, siue Ornithogalum maius subuirescente flore. The bulbed Asphodill, or greene starre-flower. |
| 6 | Ornithogalum Hispanicum minus. The little starre-flower of Spaine. |
| 7 | Ornithogalum luteum. The yellow starre-flower of Bethlehem. |
| 8 | Ornithogalum Neapolitanum. The starre-flower of Naples. |
The Place.
The first is onely nursed in Gardens, his originall being not well knowne, yet some attribute it vnto Pannonia or Hungary. The second hath been found neare vnto Barcinone, and Toledo in Spaine. The third was found in Hungary by Clusius. Our ordinary euery where in the fields of Italy and France, and (as it is said) in England also. And the last groweth likewise by the corne fields in the vpper Hungary.
The Time.
They flower in Aprill and May, and sometimes in Iune.