I take this goodly great old English Carnation, as a president for the description of all the rest of the greatest sorts, which for his beauty and statelinesse, is worthy of a prime place, hauing beene alwayes very hardly preserued in the Winter; and therefore not so frequent as the other Carnations or Gilloflowers. It riseth vp with a great thicke round stalke, diuided into seuerall branches, somewhat thickly set with ioynts, and at euery ioynt two long greene rather then whitish leaues, somewhat broader then Gilloflower leaues, turning or winding two or three times round (in some other sorts of Carnations they are plaine, but bending the points downewards, and in some also of a darke reddish greene colour, and in others not so darke, but rather of a whitish greene colour:) the flowers stand at the toppes of the stalkes in long, great, and round greene huskes, which are diuided into fiue points, out of which rise many long and broad pointed leaues, deeply iagged at the ends, set in order round and comely, making a gallant great double flower, of a deepe Carnation colour, almost red, spotted with many blush spots and strakes, some greater and some lesser, of an excellent soft sweete sent, neither too quicke as many others of these kinds are, nor yet too dull, and with two whitish crooked threads like hornes in the middle: this kinde neuer beareth many flowers, but as it is slow in growing, so in bearing, not to be often handled, which sheweth a kinde of statelinesse, fit to preserue the opinion of magnificence: the roote is branched into diuers great, long, wooddy rootes, with many small fibres annexed vnto them.
2. Caryophyllus hortensis flore pleno rubro. The red or Cloue Gilloflower.
The red Cloue Gilloflower, which I take as a president for the second sort, which are Gilloflowers, grow like vnto the Carnations, but not so thicke set with ioynts and leaues: the stalkes are more, the leaues are narrower and whiter for the most part, and in some doe as well a little turne: the flowers are smaller, yet very thicke and double in most, and the greene huskes wherein they stand are smaller likewise then the former: the ends of the leaues in this flower, as in all the rest, are dented or iagged, yet in some more then in others; some also hauing two small white threads, crooked at the ends like hornes,in the middle of the flower, when as diuers other haue none. These kindes, and especially this that hath a deepe red crimson coloured flower, doe endure the cold of our winters, and with lesse care is preserued: these sorts as well as the former doe very seldome giue any seede, as far as I could euer obserue or learne.
| 1 | Caryophyllus maximus rubro varius. The great old Carnation or gray Hulo. |
| 2 | Caryophyllus maior rubro & albo varius. The white Carnation. |
| 3 | Caryophyllus albo rubens. The Cambersine or the Poole flower. |
| 4 | Caryophyllus Cantij striatus. The faire made of Kent. |
| 5 | Caryophyllus Sabaudicus carneus. The blush Sauadge. |
| 6 | Caryophyllus Xerampelinus. The Gredeline Carnation. |
| 7 | Caryophyllus dictus Grimelo. The Grimelo or Prince. |
| 8 | Caryophyllus albus maior. The great white Gilloflower. |
| 9 | Elegans Heroina Bradshawij. Master Bradshawes dainty Lady. |
3. Caryophyllus Silesiacus flore pleno miniato. The yellow or Orenge tawny Gilloflower.
This Gilloflower hath his stalkes next vnto the ground, thicker set, and with smaller or narrower leaues then the former for the most part: the flowers are like vnto the Cloue Gilloflowers, and about the same bignesse and doublenesse most vsually, yet in some much greater then in others; but of a pale yellowish Carnation colour, tending to an Orenge, with two small white threds, crooked at the ends in the middle, yet some haue none, of a weaker sent then the Cloue Gilloflower: this kinde is more apt to beare seede then any other, which is small, black, flat, and long, and being sowen, yeelde wonderfull varieties both of single and double flowers: some being of a lighter or deeper colour then the mother plants: some with stripes in most of the leaues: Others are striped or spotted, like a speckled Carnation or Gilloflower, in diuers sorts, both single and double: Some againe are wholly of the same colour, like the mother plant, and are eyther more or lesse double then it, or else are single with one row of leaues, like vnto a Pinck; and some of these likewise eyther wholly of a crimson red, deeper or lighter, or variably spotted, double or single as a Pinck, or blush eyther single or double, and but very seldome white: yet all of them in their greene leaues little or nothing varying or differing.
{Carnations and Gilloflowers}
Caryophylli maximi.