9. Celastrus Theophrasti Clusio. Clusius his Celastrus.
Although the Collectour (who is thought to be Ioannes Molineus of the great Herball or History of plants, and generally bearing Daleschampius name, because the finding and relation of diuers herbes therein expressed, is appropriate to him, and printed at Lyons) of all our moderne Writers doth first of all others appoint the Celastrus, whereof Theophrastus onely among all the ancient Writers of plants maketh mention, to be the first Alaternus that Clusius hath set forth in his History of rarer plants: yet I finde, that Clusius himselfe before his death doth appropriate that Celastrus of Theophrastus to another plant, growing in the Garden at Leyden, which formerly of diuers had beene taken to be a kinde of Laurus Tinus, or the wilde Baye; but he impugning that opinion for diuers respects, decyphreth out that Leyden tree in the same manner that I doe: and because it is not onely faire, in bearing his leaues alwayes greene, but rare also, being noursed vp in our Land in very few places, but principally with a good old Lady, the widow of Sir Iohn Leuson, dwelling neere Rochester in Kent; I thought it fit to commend it for an ornament, to adorne this our Garden and Orchard. It groweth vp to the height of a reasonable tree, the body whereof is couered with a darke coloured barke, as the elder branches are in like manner; the younger branches being greene, whereon are set diuers leaues thicke together, two alwayes at a ioynt, one against another, of a sad but faire greene colour on the vpperside, and paler vnderneath, which are little or nothing at all snipped about the edges, as large as the leaues of the Laurus Tinus, or wilde Baye tree: at the end of the young branches breake forth between the leaues diuers small stalkes, with foure or fiue flowers on each of them, of a yellowish greene colour, which turne into small berries, of the bignesse of blacke Cherries, greene at the first, and red when they begin to be ripe, but growing blacke if they hang too long vpon the branches, wherein is contained a hard shell, and a white hard kernell within it, couered with a yellowish skin. This abideth (as I said before) with greene leaues as well Winter as Summer; and therefore fittest to be planted among other of the same nature, to make an euer greene hedge.
The Vse of Clusius his Celastrus.
Being so great a stranger in this part of the Christian world, I know none hath made tryall of what property it is, but that the taste of the leaues is somewhat bitter.
10. Pyracantha. The euer greene Hawthorne, or prickly Corall tree.
This euer greene shrubbe is so fine an ornament to a Garden or Orchard, either to be noursed vp into a small tree by it selfe, by pruining and taking away the suckers and vnder branches, or by suffering it to grow with suckers, thicke and plashing the branches into a hedge, for that it is plyable to be ordered either way; that I could not but giue you the knowledge thereof, with the description in this manner. The younger branches are couered with a smooth darke blewish greene barke, and the elder with a more ash coloured, thicke set with leaues without order, some greater and others smaller, somewhat like both in forme and bignesse vnto the leaues of the Barberry tree, but somewhat larger, and more snipt about the edges, of a deeper green colour also, and with small long thornes scattered here & there vpon the branches: the flowers come forth as well at the ends of the branches, as at diuers places at the ioynts of the leaues, standing thicke together, of a pale whitish colour, a little dasht ouer with a shew of blush, consisting of fiue leaues a peece, with some small threads in the middle, which turne into berries, very like vnto Hawthorne berries, but much redder and dryer, almost like polished Corall, wherein are contained foure or fiue small yellowish white three square seede, somewhat shining. It is thought to be the Oxyacantha of Dioscorides; but seeing Dioscorides doth explaine the forme of the leafe in his Chapter of Medlars, which he concealed in the Chapter of Oxyacantha, it cannot be the same: for Mespilus Anthedon of Theophrastus, or Aronia of Dioscorides, hath the leafe of Oxyacantha, as Dioscorides saith, or of Smalladge, as Theophrastus, which cannot agree to this Thorne; but doth most liuely delineate out our white Thorne or Hawthorne, that now there is no doubt, but that Oxyacantha of Dioscorides is the Hawthorne tree or bush.
| 1 | Celastrus Theophrasti Clusio. Clusius his Celastrus. |
| 2 | Pyracantha. The euer green prickly Corall tree. |
| 3 | Taxus. The Yewe tree. |
| 4 | Buxus arbor. The Boxe tree. |
| 5 | Buxus humilis. The lowe or dwarfe Boxe. |
| 6 | Sabina. The Sauine tree. |
| 7 | Paliurus. Christs thorne. |
| 8 | Larix. The Larch tree. |