Gerard's Herbal Vol. 1
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Fig. 14. Feather-top (1) |
Fig. 15. Fern-Grass (2) |
The Descripton.
1. This might fitly have been put to those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, but that our author determined it for this, as may appear by the mention made of it in the names, as also by the description hereof, framed from the figure we here give you. This Grass is garnished with chaffy and downy tufts, set upon a long benty stalk of two cubits high or somewhat more, naked without any blades or leaves, for the most part. His root is tough and hard. The top is commonly of a red or murrey colour, and the leaves soft and downy.
2. This is a very pretty and elegant grass: it in roots and leaves is not unlike to the usual Meadow Grass; the stalk riseth to the height of a foot, and at the top thereof it beareth a beautiful panicle, (whence the French and Spanish nations call it Amourettes, that is, the Lovely Grass.) This head consists of many little ears, shaped much like those of the ordinary Quaking Grass, longer and flatter, being composed of more scales, so that each of them somewhat resembles the leaf of a small Fern, whence I have called it Fern-Grass. These tops when they are ripe are white and are gathered where they grow naturally to beautify garlands.
Fig. 16. Greater Wood-Grass (3)
3. Wood-Grass hath many small and thready roots, compact together in manner of a tuft; from which spring lmmediately out of the earth many grey leaves, among the which are sundry benty stalks, naked and without leaves or blades like the former, bearing at the top a soft spiky tuft or ear much like unto a fox-tail, of a brownish colour.
4. This in leaves, stalks, roots, manner and place of growing is like the last described; the only difference between them is, that this hath much less, yet sharper or rougher ears or tufts. Because the difference between the last described and this is so small, we have spared the figure, to make room for others more different and note-worthy.
The Time and Place.
1. This kind of grass grows in fertile fields and pastures.
2. The second grows in divers places of Spain and France.
The other two grow in woods.
The Names.
1. Lobel in Latin calls this Gramen tomentosum & Acerosum. Some have taken it for the second kind of Calamogrostis; but most commonly it is called Gramen plumosum: and in English, a Bent, or Feather-top Grass.
2. Gramen panniculatum is called by some Heragrostis in Greek. Lobel calls this Gramen panniculosum phalaroides. And it is named in the Hist. Lugd. Gramen filiceum, seu polyanthos: that is, Fern, or many-flowered Grass.
3. Gramen sylvaticum, or as it pleaseth others, Gramen nemorosum, is called in our tongue, wood Grass, or shadow Grass.