Anthora. The wholsome Helmet flower, or counterpoison Monkes hood.
This wholsome plant I thought good to insert, not onely for the forme of the flower, but also for the excellent properties thereof, as you shall haue them related hereafter. The rootes hereof are small and tuberous, round and somewhat long, ending for the most part in a long fibre, and with some other small threads from the head downeward: from the head whereof riseth vp diuers greene leaues, euery one seuerally vpon a stalke, very much diuided, as finely almost as the leaues of Larkes heeles or spurres: among which riseth vp a hard round stalke, a foote high and better, with some such leaues thereon as grow belowe, at the toppe whereof stand many small yellowish flowers, formed very like vnto the former whitish Wolfesbane, bearing many blacke seedes in pods afterwards in the like manner.
Many more sorts of varieties of these kindes there are, but these onely, as the most specious, are noursed vp in Florists Gardens for pleasure; the other are kept by such as are Catholicke obseruers of all natures store.
The Place.
All these grow naturally on Mountaines, in many shadowie places of the Alpes, in Germany, and elsewhere.
The Time.
The first flowreth (as is said) in Ianuary, and February, and sometimes vntill March be well spent, and the seede soone ripe after.
The other three flower not vntill Iune and Iuly.
The Names.
The first is vsually called Aconitum hyemale Belgarum. Lobelius, calleth it Bulbosus vnifolius Batrachoides, Aconitum Elleboraceum, and Ranunculus Monophyllos, and some by other names. Most Herbarists call it Aconitum hyemale, and we in English thereafter, Winters Wolfesbane; and of some, Yellow Aconite.