The Vertues.
The herbe and flowers are of great vse with vs among other pot-herbes, and the flowers eyther greene or dryed, are often vsed in possets, broths, and drinkes, as a comforter of the heart and spirits, and to expel any malignant or pestilential quality, gathered neere thereunto. The Syrupe and Conserue made of the fresh flowers are vsed for the same purposes to good effect.
Chap. LXIIII.
Aster. Starre-wort.
Dioscorides and other of the ancient Writers, haue set forth but one kinde of Starre-wort, which they call Aster Atticus, of the place no doubt, where the greatest plentie was found, which was the Countrey of Athens: the later Writers haue found out many other plants which they referre to this kinde, calling them by the same name. It is not my purpose to entreate of them all, neyther doth this garden fitly agree with them; I shall therefore select out one or two from the rest, and giue the knowledge of them, leauing the rest to their proper place.
1. Aster Atticus flore luteo. Yellow Starre-wort.
This Starre-wort riseth vp with two or three rough hairy stalkes, a foote and a halfe high, with long, rough or hairie, brownish, darke greene leaues on them, diuided into two or three branches: at the toppe of euery one whereof standeth a flat scaly head, compared vnderneath with fiue or sixe long, browne, rough greene leaues, standing like a Starre, the flower it selfe standing in the middle thereof, made as a border of narrow, long, pale yellow leaues, set with a brownish yellow thrume: the roote dyeth euery yeare, hauing giuen his flower.
2. Aster Atticus Italorum flore purpureo. Purple Italian Starre-wort.
This Italian Starre-wort hath many wooddy, round brittle stalkes, rising from the roote, somewhat higher then the former, sometimes standing vpright, and otherwhiles leaning downewards, whereon are set many somewhat hard, and rough long leaues, round pointed, without order vp to the toppe, where it is diuided into seuerall branches, whereon stand the flowers, made like vnto a single Marigold, with a border of blewish purple leaues, set about a browne middle thrume, the heads sustaining the flowers are composed of diuers scaly greene leaues, as is to be seene in the Knapweedes or Matfelons, which after the flowers are past yeelde a certaine downe, wherein lye small blacke and flat seedes, somewhat like vnto Lettice seede, which are carried away with the winde: the roote is composed of many white strings, which perisheth not as the former, but abideth, and springeth afresh euery yeare.