The rootes of these kindes are a little more bitter and more binding also then the yellow kinde expressed in the Kitchin Garden; and therefore fitter for medicine then for meate, but yet is vsed as the yellow kinde is, which is more fit for meate then medicine. The distilled water is good to wash old sores and wounds.
Chap. LXVIII.
Flos Africanus. The French Marigold.
Of the French or African Marigolds there are three kindes as principall, and of each of them both with single and double flowers: of these, some diuersity is obserued in the colour of the flowers, as well as in the forme or largenesse, so that as you may here see, I haue expressed eight differences, and Fabius Columna nine or ten, in regard hee maketh a diuersity of the paler and deeper yellow colour: and although the lesser kinde, because of its euill sent, is held dangerous, yet for the beauty of the flower it findeth roome in Gardens.
1. Flos Africanus maior siue maximus multiplex. The great double French Marigold.
This goodly double flower, which is the grace and glory of a Garden in the time of his beauty, riseth vp with a straight and hard round greene stalke, hauing some crests or edges all along the stalke, beset with long winged leaues, euery one whereof is like vnto the leafe of an Ash, being composed of many long and narrow leaues, snipt about the edges, standing by couples one against another, with an odde one at the end, of a darke or full greene colour: the stalke riseth to be three or foure foote high, and diuideth it selfe from the middle thereof into many branches, set with such like leaues to the toppes of them, euery one bearing one great double flower, of a gold yellow colour aboue, and paler vnderneath, yet some are of a pale yellow, and some betweene both, and all these rising from one and the same seede: the flower, before it be blowne open, hath all the leaues hollow; but when it is full blowne open, it spreadeth it selfe larger then any Prouince Rose, or equall vnto it at the least, if it be in good earth, and riseth out of a long greene huske, striped or furrowed, wherein after the flower is past, (which standeth in his full beauty a moneth, and oftentimes more, and being gathered, may be preserued in his full beauty for two moneths after, if it be set in water) standeth the seede, set thicke and close together vpright, which is blacke, somewhat flat and long: the roote is full of small strings, whereby it strongly comprehendeth in the ground: the flower of this, as well as the single, is of the very smell of new waxe, or of an honie combe, and not of that poisonfull sent of the smaller kindes.
2. Flos Africanus maior simplex. The great single French Marigold.
This single Marigold is in all things so like vnto the former, that it is hard to discerne it from the double, but by the flowers, onely the stalke will be browner then the double; and to my best obseruation, hath and doth euery yeare rise from the seede of the double flower: so that when they are in flower, you may see the difference (or not much before, when they are in bud) this single flower euer appearing with thrums in the middle, and the leaues, which are the border or pale standing about them, shewing hollow or fistulous, which after lay themselues flat and open (and the double flower appearing with all his leaues folded close together, without any thrum at all) and are of a deeper or paler colour, as in the double.
3. Flos Africanus fistuloso flore simplex & multiplex. Single and double French Marigolds with hollow leafed flowers.
As the former two greatest sorts haue risen from the seede of one and the same (I meane the pod of double flowers) so doe these also, not differing from it in anything, but that they are lower, and haue smaller greene leaues, and that the flower also being smaller, hath euery leafe abiding hollow, like vnto an hollow pipe, broad open at the mouth, and is of as deepe a yellow colour for the most part as the deepest of the former, yet sometimes pale also.