Chap. XCI.
Malua. Mallowes.
Of the kindred of Mallowes there are a great number, some of the gardens, others wilde, some with single flowers, others with double, some with whole leaues, others with cut or diuided: to entreate of them all is not my purpose, nor the scope of this worke, but onely of such whose flowers, hauing beautie and respect, are fit to furnish this garden, as ornaments thereunto. And first of those single kindes, whose flowers come neerest vnto the fashion of the former Bell-flowers, and after to the double ones, which for their brauery, are entertained euery where into euery Countrey womans garden.
1. Malua Hispanica flore carneo amplo. The Spanish blush Mallow.
The Spanish Mallow is in forme and manner of growing, very like vnto our common fielde Mallow, hauing vpright stalkes two or three foote high, spread into diuers branches, and from the bottome to the toppe, beset with round leaues, like vnto our Mallowes, but somewhat smaller, rounder, and lesse diuided, yet larger below then aboue: the flowers are plentifully growing vpon the small branches, folding or writhing their leaues one about another before they bee blowne, and being open consist of fiue leaues, with a long forked clapper therein, of the same colour with the flower: the chiefest difference from the common consisteth in this, that the leaues of these flowers are longer, and more wide open at the brimmes (almost like a Bell flower) and of a faire blush or light carnation colour, closing at night, and opening all the day: after the flowers are past, there come such like round heads, with small blacke seede, like vnto the common kinde, but somewhat smaller: the roote is small and long, and perisheth euery yeare.
| 1 | Malua Hispanica flore carneo amplo. The Spanish Mallow. |
| 2 | Alcea Veneta. The Venice Mallow. |
| 3 | Alcea Americana. Thorney Mallow. |
| 4 | Alcea Ægyptia. The Mallow of Egypt. |
| 5 | Althea frutex. The shrubbe Mallow. |
| 6 | Malua hortensis simplex. Single Hollihockes. |
| 7 | Malua rosea multiplex. Double Hollihockes. |
2. Alcea vulgaris flore carneo. Vervaine Mallow with blush flowers.
There is a Mallow that hath long stalkes, and flowers like vnto the common wilde Mallow, and of the same deepe colour with it, so that you can hardly know it from the ordinary kinde, which is found growing wilde together with it, but onely by the leafe, which is as round and as large as the former, but cut into many fine diuisions, euen to the stalke that vpholdeth it, that it seemeth to consist onely of ragges, or peeces of leaues: Of this kinde I take a plante for this garden, growing in all respects like vnto it, but differing onely in the colour of the flowers, which are of the same blush or light carnation colour, or not much differing from the former Spanish kinde, with some veines therein of a deeper colour: the root hereof liueth, as the root of the common wilde kinde doth.
3. Alcea peregrina siue vesicaria. Venice Mallow, or Good night at noone.
The Venice Mallow hath long and weake stalkes, most vsually lying or leaning vpon the ground, hauing here and there vpon them long leaues and somewhat broad, cut in or gashed very deepely on both edges, that it seemeth as if they were diuers leaues set together, euery one standing on a long footestalke: at the ioynts of these stalkes, where the leaues are set, come forth seuerall flowers, standing vpon long footstalkes, which are somewhat larger then any of the former flowers, consisting of fiue leaues, small at the bottome, and wide at the brimmes, of a whitish colour tending to a blush, and sometimes all white, with spots at the bottomes of the leaues on the inside, of a very deepe purple or murrey colour, which addeth a great grace to the flower, and hauing also a long pestle or clapper in the middle, as yellow as gold: these flowers are so quickly faded and gone, that you shall hardly see any of them blowne open, vnlesse it bee betimes in the morning before the Sunne doe grow warme vpon them, for as soone as it feeleth the Sunnes warme heate, it closeth vp and neuer openeth againe, so that you shall very seldome see a flower blowne open in the day time, after nine a clocke in the morning: after these flowers are past, there rise vp in their places thinne, round, shining or transparent bladders, pointed at the toppe, and ribbed down all along, wherein are contained small, round, blackish seede: the roote is long and small, and perisheth euery yeare.