This small Pulse or wild Pease, hath two or three long slender winged branches, with smaller leaues thereon then the former, and without any claspers at all on them: the flowers stand single, euery one by it selfe, or two at the most together, the middle leaues whereof that close together are white, and the vpper leaues of a reddish purple colour: after which come long round flattish cods, bunched out in the seuerall places where the seedes lye, like vnto the cods of Orobus or the bitter Vetch, but greater: the roote is small and dyeth euery yeare.
4. Pisum quadratum. The crimson blossomd or square codded Pease.
This pretty kinde of Pulse might very well for the forme of the leaues, be referred to the kindes of Lotus or Trefoiles: but because I haue none of that kindred to entreate of in this Worke, I haue thought fittest to place it here before the Medica’s, because both pods and seedes are like also. It hath three or foure small weake stalkes, diuided into many branches, hauing two stalkes of leaues at euery ioynt, and three small soft leaues standing on a very small stalke, comming from the ioynts: the flowers stand for the most part two together, of a perfect red or crimson colour, like in forme almost vnto a Pease blossome; after which come long thicke and round cods, with two skinnes or filmes, running all along the cod at the backe or vpperside and two other such like filmes, all along the belly or vnder side, which make it seeme foure square, wherein there lye round discoloured Pease, somewhat smaller and harder then ordinary Pease: the roote is small and perisheth euery yeare.
5. Medica Cochleata vulgaris. Snailes or Barbary buttons.
The plant that beareth these pretty toyes for Gentlewomen, is somewhat like vnto a Three leafed grasse or Trefoile, hauing many long trayling branches lying vpon the ground, whereon at diuers places are three small greene leaues, set together at the end of a little footestalke, each of them a little snipt about the edges: at seuerall distances, from the middle of these branches to the ends of them, come forth the flowers, two for the most part standing together vpon a little footstalke, which are of a pale yellow colour, very small, and of the forme of a Pease blossome: after which come smooth heads, which are turned or writhen round, almost like a Snaile, hard and greene at the first, somewhat like a greene button (from the formes of both which came their names) but afterwards growing whiter, more soft and open, wherein lyeth yellowish round and flat seede, somewhat like vnto the Kidney beane: the roote is small and stringie, dying downe euery yeare, and must be new sowne in the spring, if you desire to haue it.
6. Medica spinosa maior. Prickly or thorny Snailes, or Buttons.
This kinde of Medica is in all things very like vnto the former, both in the long trayling branches, & three leaues alwaies growing together, but a little greater pale yellow flowers, and crooked or winding heads: but herein chiefly consisteth the difference, that this kinde hath his heads or buttons harder, a little greater, more closed together, and set with short and somewhat hard prickles, all the head ouer, which being pulled open, haue those prickles standing on each side of the filme or skinne, whereof the head consisteth, somewhat like vnto a fish bone, and in this kinde goeth all one way; in which are contained such like seedes for the forme, as are in the former, but great and blacke, and shining withall.
7. Medica spinosa altera. Small thorney Buttons, or Snailes.
This other kinde is also like vnto the last described in all other things, except in the heads or buttons, which are a little smaller, but set with longer and softer prickes vpon the filmes, and may easily bee discerned to goe both forwards and backewards, one enterlacing within another, wherein are contained such like flat and blacke shining seede, made after the fashion of a kidney, as are in the former, but somewhat smaller: the roote perisheth in like manner euery yeare.