5. Caryophyllus minor repens simplex & multiplex. Single and double matted Pinkes.
The matted Pinke is the smallest, both for leafe and flower of all other Pinkes that are nourished in Gardens, hauing many short and small grassie greene leaues vpon the stalkes, which as they grow and lye vpon the ground (and not standing so vpright as the former) doe take roote againe, whereby it quickly spreadeth, and couereth a great deale of ground in a little space: the flowers are small and round, a little snipt about the edges, whereof some are white, and some red, and some are white spotted with red, and some red spotted with white, all of them being single flowers. But there is another of this kinde, not differing in leafe, but in flower: for that the first flowers are but once double, or of two rowes of leaues, of a fine reddish colour, spotted with siluer spots: but those that follow, are so thicke and double, that they oftentimes doe breake the pod or huske; being not altogether of so deepe a red colour, but more pale.
6. Caryophyllus Mediterraneus siue Marinus maior. Great Sea Gilloflower or Great Thrift.
Vnto these kindes of Pinkes I must needs adde, not only our ordinary Thrift (which is more frequent in gardens, to empale or border a knot, because it abideth greene Winter and Summer, and that by cutting, it may grow thick, and be kept in what form one list, rather then for any beautie of the flowers) but another greater kinde, which is of as great beautie and delight almost as any of the former Pinkes, as well for that the leaues are like vnto Gilloflowers, being longer and larger then any Pinkes, and of a whitish greene colour like vnto them, not growing long or by couples vpon the stalkes as Pinkes and Gilloflowers doe, but tufting close vpon the ground, like vnto the common Thrift: as also that the stalkes, rising from among the leaues (being sometimes two foote high (as I haue obserued in my garden) are yet so slender and weake, that they are scarce able to beare the heads of flowers, naked or bare, both of leaues and ioynts, failing only in one place, where at the ioynt each stalke hath two small and very short leaues, not rising vpwards as in all other Gilloflowers, Pinkes, and other herbes, but growing downewards) and doe beare each of them a tuft or vmbell of small purplish, or blush coloured flowers, at the toppes of them standing somewhat like vnto sweete Williams, but more roundly together, each flower consisting of fiue small, round, stiffe or hardish leaues, as if they were made of paper, the bottome or middle being hollow, not blowing all at once as the ordinary Thrift, but for the most part one after another, not shewing vsually aboue foure or fiue flowers open at one time (so farre as I could obserue in the plants that I kept) so that it was long before the whole tuft of flowers were past; but yet the hoter and dryer the time was, the sooner it would be gone: the seede I haue not perfectly obserued, but as I remember, it was somewhat like vnto the seede of Scabious; I am sure nothing like vnto Gilloflowers or Pinkes: the roote is somewhat great, long and hard, and not so much spreading in the ground as Gilloflowers or Pinkes.
7. Caryophyllus Marinus. Thrift, or Sea Cushion.
Our common Thrift is well knowne vnto all, to haue many short and hard greene leaues, smaller then many of the grasses, growing thicke together, and spreading vpon the ground: the stalkes are naked of leaues a spanne high, bearing a small tuft of light purple, or blush coloured flowers, standing round and close thrusting together.
Double Pinkes.
The double white Pinke is onely with more leaues in it then the single which maketh the difference.
The double red Pinke is in the same manner double, differing from the single of the same colour.