Chap. CVII.
Syringa. The Pipe tree.
Vnder the name of Syringa, is contained two speciall kinds of Shrubs or Trees, differing one from another; namely, the Lilac of Matthiolus, which is called Syringa cærulea, and is of two or three sorts: And the Syringa alba, which also is of two sorts, as shall bee declared.
1. Lilac siue Syringa cærulea. The blew Pipe tree.
The blew Pipe tree riseth sometimes to be a great tree, as high and bigge in the bodie as a reasonable Apple tree (as I haue in some places seene and obserued) but most vsually groweth lower, with many twigs or branches rising from the roote, hauing as much pith in the middle of them as the Elder hath, couered with a grayish greene barke, but darker in the elder branches, with ioynts set at a good distance one from another, and two leaues at euery ioynt, which are large, broad, and pointed at the ends, many of them turning or folding both the sides inward, and standing on long foote stalkes: at the toppes of the branches come forth many flowers, growing spike-fashion, that is, a long branch of flowers vpon a stalke, each of these flowers are small, long, and hollow belowe, ending aboue in a pale blewish flower, consisting of foure small leaues, of a pretty small sent: after the flowers are past, there come sometimes (but it is not often in our Country, vnlesse the tree haue stood long, and is grown great, the suckers being continually taken away, that it may growe the better) long and flat cods, consisting as it were of two sides, a thin skinne being in the midst, wherein are contained two long flattish red seede: the rootes are strong, and growe deepe in the ground.
2. Syringa flore lacteo siue argenteo. The siluer coloured Pipe tree.
This Pipe tree differeth not from the former blew Pipe tree, either in stemme or branches, either in leaues or flowers, or manner of growing, but onely in the colour of the flower, which in this is of a milke, or siluer colour, which is a kinde of white, wherein there is a thinne wash, or light shew of blew shed therein, comming somewhat neare vnto an ash-colour.
3. Lilac lacimatis folijs. The blew Pipe tree with cut leaues.
This Pipe tree should not differ from the first in any other thing then in the leaues, which are said to be cut in on the edges into seuerall parts, as the relation is giuen à viris fide dignis; for as yet I neuer saw any such; but I here am bold to set it downe, to induce and prouoke some louer of plants to obtaine it for his pleasure, and others also.