{Day Lillies}
1. Liliasphodelus phœniceus. The gold red Day Lilly.
Because the rootes of this and the next, doe so nearely agree with the two last recited Asphodils, I haue set them in this place, although some doe place them next after the Lillies, because their flowers doe come nearest in forme vnto Lillies; but whether you will call them Asphodils with Lilly flowers, as I thinke it fittest, or Lillies with Asphodill rootes, or Lillies without bulbous rootes, as others doe, I will not contend.
The red Day Lilly hath diuers broad and long fresh greene leaues, folded at the first as it were double, which after open, and remaine a little hollow in the middle; among which riseth vp a naked stalke three foot high, bearing at the toppe many flowers, one not much distant from another, and flowring one after another, not hauing lightly aboue one flower blown open in a day, & that but for a day, not lasting longer, but closing at night, and not opening againe; whereupon it had his English name, The Lilly for a day: these flowers are almost as large as the flowers of the white Lilly, and made after the same fashion, but of a faire gold red, or Orange tawny colour. I could neuer obserue any seede to follow these flowers; for they seeme the next day after they haue flowred, (except the time be faire and dry) to bee so rotten, as if they had lyen in wet to rotte them, whereby I thinke no seede can follow: the rootes are many thicke and long yellow knobbed strings, like vnto the small yellow Asphodill rootes, but somewhat greater, running vnder ground in like sort, and shooting young heads round about.
2. Liliasphodelus luteus. The yellow Day Lilly.
I shall not neede to make a repetition of the description of this Day Lilly, hauing giuen you one so amply before, because this doth agree thereunto so nearely, as that it might seeme the same; these differences onely it hath, the leaues are not fully so large, nor the flower so great or spread open, and the colour thereof is of a faire yellow wholly, and very sweet, which abideth blowne many daies before it fade, and hath giuen blacke round seede, growing in round heads, like the heads of the small yellow Asphodill, but not so great.
Clusius hath set downe, that it was reported, that there should be another Liliasphodill with a white flower, but we can heare of none such as yet; but I rather thinke, that they that gaue that report might be mistaken, in thinking the Sauoye Spider-wort to be a white Liliasphodill, which indeede is so like, that one not well experienced, or not well regarding it, may soone take one for another.
| 1 | Asphodelus maior albus ramosus. The great white branched Asphodill. |
| 2 | Asphodelus minor albus seu fistulosus. The little hollow white Asphodill. |
| 3 | Asphodelus minor luteus, siue Hastula regia. The small yellow Asphodill, or Kings speare. |
| 4 | Liliasphodelus luteus. The yellow Day Lilly. |
| 5 | Liliasphodelus phœniceus. The gold red Day Lilly. |