Matthiolus reckoneth this (as is said) among the Daffodils, for no other respect, as I conceiue, then that he accounted the middle flower to bee the cuppe or trunke of a Daffodill, which it doth somewhat resemble, and setteth it forth in the fourth place, whereupon many doe call it Narcissus quartus Matthioli, The fourth Daffodill of Matthiolus. Fabius Columna calleth it Hyacinthus aruorum Ornithogali flore. Clusius (to whom Imperatus sent it, in stead of the Arabian which hee desired) calleth it of the place from whence he receiued it, Ornithogalum Neapolitanum, and we thereafter call it in English, The Starre-flower of Naples.
Ornithogalum Hispanicum minus. The little Starre-flower of Spaine.
Clusius hath set forth this plant among his Ornithogala or Starre-flowers, and although it doth in my minde come nearer to a Hyacinthus, then to Ornithogalum, yet pardon it, and let it passe as he doth. From a little round whitish roote, springeth vp in the beginning of the yeare, fiue or six small long green leaues, without any white line in the middle of them, among which rise vp one or two small stalkes, an hand length high or better, bearing seuen or eight, or more flowers, growing as it were in a tuft or vmbell, with small long leaues at the foote of euery stalke, the lower flowers being equall in length with the vppermost, of a pale whitish blew or ash colour, with a strake or line downe the backe of euery leafe of them, with some white threeds standing about a blewish head in the middle: these flowers passe away quickly, and giue no seed, so that it is not knowne what seede it beareth.
The Place.
This groweth in Spaine, and from thence hath been brought to vs.
The Time.
It flowreth in May.
The Names.
It hath no other name then is set down in the title, being but lately found out.