It is much commended of some, to bee singular good for vlcered lungs, that are full of rotten matter. As also for them that spit bloud, being boyled and drunke. It is of greatest vse for the pot, being generally held to be good, both for the lungs and the heart.
Chap. XXXVII.
1. Buglossum & Borrago. Buglosse and Borage.
Although Borage and Buglosse might as fitly haue been placed, I confesse, in the Kitchen Garden, in regard they are wholly in a manner spent for Physicall properties, or for the Pot, yet because anciently they haue been entertained into Gardens of pleasure, their flowers hauing been in some respect; in that they haue alwaies been enterposed among the flowers of womens needle-worke, I am more willing to giue them place here, then thrust them into obscurity, and take such of their tribe with them also as may fit for this place, either for beauty or rarity.
The Garden Buglosse and Borage are so well knowne vnto all, that I shall (I doubt) but spend time in waste to describe them; yet not vsing to passe ouer any thing I name and appropriate to this Garden so sleightly, they are thus to bee knowne: Buglosse hath many long, narrow, hairy, or rough sad greene leaues, among which rise vp two or three very high stalks, branched at the top, whereon stand many blew flowers, consisting of fiue small round pointed leaues, with a small pointell in the middle, which are very smooth, shining, and of a reddish purple while they are buds, and not blowne open, which being fallen, there groweth in the greene huske, wherein the flower stood, three or foure roundish blacke seedes, hauing that thread or pointell standing still in the middle of them: the roote is blacke without, and whitish within, long, thicke, and full of slimie iuice (as the leaues are also) and perisheth not euery yeare, as the roote of Borage doth.
2. Borrago. Borage.
Borage hath broader, shorter, greener, and rougher leaues then Buglosse, the stalkes hereof are not so high, but branched into many parts, whereon stand larger flowers, and more pointed at the end then Buglosse, and of a paler blew colour for the most part (yet sometimes the flowers are reddish, and sometimes pure white) each of the flowers consisting of fiue leaues, standing in a round hairy whitish huske, diuided into fiue parts, and haue a small vmbone of fiue blackish threads in the middle, standing out pointed at the end, and broad at the bottome: the seed is like the other: the root is thicker and shorter then the roote of Buglosse, somewhat blackish without also, and whitish within, and perisheth after seede time, but riseth of it owne seede fallen, and springeth in the beginning of the yeare.
3. Borrago semper virens. Euerliuing Borage.
Euerliuing Borage hath many broad greene leaues, and somewhat rough, more resembling Comfrey then Borage, yet not so large as either; the stalkes are not so high as Borage, and haue many small blew flowers on them, very like to the flowers of Buglosse for the forme, and Borage for the colour; the rootes are blacke, thicker then either of them, somewhat more spreading, and not perishing, hauing greene leaues all the Winter long, and thereupon tooke his name.