The Description.

            1. The White Asphodel hath many long and narrow canes like those of leeks, sharp pointed. The stalk is round, smooth, naked, and without leaves, two cubits high, garnished from the middle upward with a number of flowers star-fashion, made of five leaves apiece; the colour white, with some dark purple streaks drawn down the back-side. Within the flowers be certain small chives. The flowers being past, there spring up little round heads, wherein are contained hard, black, and 3-square seeds like those of Buckwheat or Stavesacre. The root is compact of many knobby roots growing out of one head, like those of the Peony, full of juice, with a small bitterness and binding taste.

            2. Branched Asphodel agreeth well with the former description, saving that this hath many branches or arms growing out of the stalk, whereon the flowers do grow, and the other hath not any branch at all, wherein consisteth the difference.

            3. Asphodel with the reddish flower groweth up in roots, stalk, leaf, and manner of growing like the precedent, saving that the flowers of this be of a dark red color, & the others white, which setteth forth the difference, if there be any such difference, or any such plant at all: for I have conferred with many most excellent men in the knowledge of plants, but none of them can give me certain knowledge of any such, but tell me they have heard it reported that such a one there is, and so have I also, but certainly I cannot set down anything of this plant until I hear more certainly: for as yet I give no credit to my author, which for reverence of his person I forbear to name.

            4. The Yellow Asphodel hath many roots growing out of one head, made of sundry tough, fat, and oleous yellow sprigs, or gross strings, from the which rise up many grassy leaves, thick and gross, tending to squareness, among the which cometh up a strong thick stalk set with the like leaves even to the flowers, but less: upon the which do grow star-like yellow flowers, otherwise like the white Asphodel.

Fig. 158. Dwarf Asphodel (5)

            5. Besides these there is an Asphodel which Clusius for the smallness calls Asphodelus minimus. The roots thereof are knotty and tuberous, resembling those of the formerly described, but less: from these arise five or six very narrow and long leaves; in the midst of which grows up a stalk of the height of a foot, round and without branches, bearing at the top thereof a spoke of flowers, consisting of six white leaves apiece, each of which hath a streak running alongst, both on the inside and outside, like as the first described. It flowers in the beginning of July, when as the rest are past their flowers. It loseth the leaves in winter, and gets new ones again in the beginning of April.

The Time and Place.

            They flower in May and June, beginning below; and so flowering upward: and they grow naturally in France, Italy, Spain, and most of them in our London gardens.

The Names.

            Asphodel is called in Latin, Asphodelus, Albucum, Albucus, and Hastula Regia: in English, Asphodel, not Daffodil; for Daffodil is Narcissus, another plant differing from Asphodel. Pliny writeth, That the stalk with the flowers is called Anthericos; and the root, that is to say, the bulbs Asphodelus.

            Of this Asphodel Hesiod maketh mention in his Works, where he saith, that fools know not how much good there is in the Mallow and in the Asphodel, because the roots of Asphodel are good to be eaten. Yet Galen doth not believe that he meant of this Asphodel, but of that bulbed one, whereof we will make mention hereafter. And he himself testifieth, that the bulbs thereof are not to be eaten without very long seething; and therefore it is not like that Hesiod hath commended any such; for he seemeth to understand by the Mallow and the Asphodel, such kind of food as is easily prepared, and soon made ready.

The Nature.

            These kinds of Asphodels be hot and dry almost in the third degree.

The Virtues.

            A. After the opinion of Dioscorides and Aetius, the roots of Asphodel eaten, provoke urine and the terms effectually, especially being stamped and strained with wine, and drunk.

            B. One dram thereof taken in wine in manner before rehearsed, helpeth the pain in the sides, ruptures, convulsions, and the old cough.

            C. The roots boiled in dregs of wine cure foul eating ulcers, all inflammations of the dugs or stones, and easeth the felon, being put thereto as a poultice.

            D. The juice of the root boiled in old sweet wine, together with a little myrrh and saffron, maeketh an excellent collyre profitable for the eyes.

            E. Galen saith, the roots burnt to ashes, and mixed with the grease of a duck, helpeth the alopecia, and bringeth hair again that was fallen by that disease.

            F. The weight of a dram thereof taken with wine helpeth the drawing together of sinews, cramps, and burstings.

            G. The like quantity taken in broth provoketh vomit, and helpeth those that are bitten with any venomous beasts.

            H. The juice of the root cleanseth and taketh away the white morphew, if the face be anointed therewith: but first the place must be chafed and well rubbed with a coarse linen cloth.