4. Cistus annuus. The Holly Rose of a yeare.
This small Cistus that endureth but a year (and will require to be sowne euery year, if ye will haue it) riseth vp with straight, but slender hard stalkes, set here and there confusedly with long and narrow greenish leaues, very like vnto the leaues of the Gum Cistus or Ledon, being a little clammy withall: at the toppe of the stalkes, and at the ioynts with the leaues, stand two or three pale yellow flowers, consisting of fiue leaues a peece, with a reddish spot neere the bottome of euery leafe of the flower, as quickely fading as any of the former: after which follow small three square heades, containing small seede, like vnto the first female kinde, but somewhat paler or yellower: the root is small and woody, and perisheth as soone as it hath borne seede.
5. Cistus Ledon. The Gum Cistus, or Sweete Holly Rose.
This sweete Holly Rose or Gum Cistus, riseth higher, and spreadeth larger then the former male kind doth, with many blackish woody branches, whereon are set diuers long and narrow darke greene leaues, but whitish vnderneath, two alwayes standing together at a ioint, both stalks and leaues bedeawed as it were continually with a clammy sweete moisture (which in the hot Countries is both more plentifull, and more sweet then in ours) almost transparent, and which being gathered by the inhabitants, with certaine instruments for that purpose (which in some places are leather thongs, drawne ouer the bushes, and after scraped off from the thongs againe, and put together) is that kind of blacke sweet gum, which is called Ladanum in the Apothecaries shops; at the tops of the branches stand single white flowers, like vnto single Roses, being larger then in any of the former kindes, consisting of fiue leaues, whereof euery one hath at the bottome a dark purplish spot, broad below, and small pointed vpwards, with some yellow threds in the middle: after which are past, there arise cornered heads, containing such small brownish seede as is in the former male kinde: the roote is woody, and spreadeth vnder ground, abiding some yeares, if it be placed vnder a wall, where it may bee defended from the windes that often breake it, and from the extremitie of our winters, and especially the snow, if it lye vpon it, which quickly causeth it to perish.
| 1 | Cistus mas. The male Holly Rose. |
| 2 | Chamæcistus Frisicus. The dwarfe Holly Rose of Frisia. |
| 3 | Cistus Ledon. The sweet Holly Rose or gumme Cistus. |
| 4 | Ledum Alpinum. The mountaine Holly Rose. |
| 5 | Ledum Silesiacum. The sweet Mary Rose of Silesia. |
| 6 | Rosmarinum aureum. Gilded Rosemary. |
6. Ledum Alpinum seu Rosa Alpina. The Mountaine sweet Holly Rose.
The fragrant smell with properties correspondent of two other plants, causeth me to insert them in this Chapter, and to bring them to your knowledge, as well worthy a fit place in our Garden. The first of them hath diuers slender woody branches, two foote high or thereabouts, couered with a grayish coloured barke, and many times leaning downe to the ground, whereby it taketh roote againe: vpon these branches grow many thicke, short, hard greene leaues, thicke set together, confusedly without order, sometimes whitish vnderneath, and sometimes yellowish: the toppes of the branches are loden with many flowers, which cause them to bend downwards, being long, hollow and reddish, opening into fiue corners, spotted on the outside with many white spots, and of a paler red colour on the inside, of a fine sweet sent: after the flowers are past, there follow small heads, containing small brownish seede: the root is long, hard and woody, abiding better if it comprehend in the ground, then some of the former, because his originall is out of a colder country.