The Kinds.

            There be divers sorts of Dropworts, some of the champion or fertile pastures, some of more moist and dankish grounds, and some of the mountain.

The Description.

            1. The first kind of Filipendula hath leaves growing and spread abroad like feathers, each leaf consisting of sundry small leaves dented or snipped round about the edges, growing to the stalk by a small and slender stem: these leaves resemble wild Tansy or Burnet, but that they be longer and thicker, set like feathers, as is aforesaid: among these rise up stalks a cubit and a half high, at the top whereof grow many fair white flowers, each small flower consisting of six slender leaves, like a little star, bushing together in a tuft like the flowers of Meadowsweet, of a soft sweet smell: the seed is small, and groweth together like a button: the roots are small and black, whereupon depend many little knobs or black pellets, much like the roots of the female Peony, saving that they be a great deal smaller.

            2. The second kind of Filipendula, called of Pena in his Observations, Oenanthe, sive Philipendula alter montana is neither at this day very well known, neither did the old writers heretofore once write or speak of it: but Pena that painful herbarist found it growing naturally in Narbonne in France, near unto Veganium, on the top of the high hills called Paradisus Dei, and near unto the mountain Calcaris: this rare plant hath many knobby long roots, in shape like to Asphodeum luteus, or rather like the roots of Corruda, or wild Asparagus; from which riseth up a stalk a foot high, and more, which is thick, round, and chanelled, beset full of leaves like those of common Filipendula, but they be not so thick set or winged, but more like unto the leaves of a Thistle, consisting of sundry small leaves, in fashion like to Coronopus ruellii, that is, Ruellius his Buck's Horn: round about the top of the stalk there groweth a very fair tuft of white flowers, resembling fine small hoods, growing close and thick together like the flowers of Pedicularis, that is, Red Rattle, called of Carolus Clusius, Alectorolophos, whereof he maketh this plant a kind, but in my judgement and opinion it is rather like Cynosorchis, a kind of Satyrion.

            3. There is another kind of Filipendula set forth under the name Oenanthe, that hath many tuberous and thick roots like those of Dropwort, but white of colour, and every one of those knobs hath a certain string or fibre annexed thereto; from whence ariseth a crested stalk two foot high, dividing itself toward the top into sundry arms or branches: from the hollow place or bosom of every joint (out of which do grow those branches) the leaves do also proceed, very much cut or jagged like Fennel: at the top of those branches come forth spoky roundels of white flowers fashioned like stars.

            4. The fourth kind of Filipendula is as strange a plant as the former, especially with us here in England, except in the watery places, and rills in the North, where Paludapium or Water Smallage groweth; whereunto in leaves it is not unlike, but more like Ruta pratensis: it hath many large branches, a naughty savour, and in colour and shape like Cicuta, that is, Hemlock. The stalks are more than two cubits high, coming from a root which exceedingly multiplies itself into bulbs, like Asphodelus albus. The smell of this plant is strong and grievous; the taste hot and biting, it being full of a juice, at first milky, but afterwards turning yellow. The spoky tufts or roundels growing at the top are like Cicuta, yea, it much resembleth Hemlock in property and qualities, and so do they affirm that have proved and seen the experience of it: for being eaten in salads it did well nigh poison those which ate of it, making them giddy in their heads, waxing very pale, staggering and reeling like drunken men. Beware and take good heed of this and such like simples; for there is no physician that will give it, because there be many other excellent good simples which God hath bestowed upon us from the preventing and curing of diseases. Pernicious and not excusable is the ignorance of some of our time, that have bought and (as one may probably conjecture) used the roots of this plant instead of those of Peony; and I know they are daily by the ignorant women in Cheapside sold to people more ignorant than themselves, by the name of Water Lovage; Caveat emptor. The danger that may ensue by using them may be gathered by that which our author hath here set down, being taken out of the Adversaria, pag. 326.

Fig. 1518. Water Dropwort (5)

            5. The fifth and last kind of Filipendula, which is the fourth according to Matthiolus his account, hath leaves like Water Smallage, which Pliny calleth Sylaus, the leaves very much resembling those of Laver crateuæ: among which riseth up a small stalk deeply furrowed or crested, bearing at the top thereof spoky or bushy roundels of white flowers thick thrust together. The roots are compact of very many filaments or threads; among which come forth a few tuberous or knobby roots like unto the second.

The Place and Time.

            The first groweth plentifully upon stony rocks or mountains, and rough places, and in fertile pastures. I found great plenty thereof growing in a field adjoining to Sion House, sometime a nunnery, near London, on the side of a meadow called Sion Meadow.

            The second hath been sufficiently spoken of in the description. The third groweth near unto brooks and rivers' sides. The fourth groweth between the ploughed lands in the moist and wet furrows of a field belonging to Battersea by London. It also groweth in great abundance in many places by the Thames' side; as amongst the osiers against York House, a little above the Horseferry, against Lambeth, &c. The fifth groweth near the sides of rivers and water-streams, especially near the river of Thames, as in St. George's Fields, and about the Bishop of London's house at Fulham, and such like places.

The Time.

            They flower from May to the end of June.

The Names.

            They are commonly called Filipendulæ. The first is called of Nicolaus Myrepsus, Philipendula; of some, Saxifragra rubra, and Millefolium sylvestre: of Pliny, Molon: in Italian and Spanish, Filipendula: in English, Filipendula and Dropwort. Water Filipendula is called Filipendula aquatica, Oenanthe aquatica, and Silaus plinii.

            The fourth, whose leaves are like to Hemlocks, is as some think called of Cordus, Oisenichium: in English Hemlock Filipendula.

The Nature.

            These kinds of Filipendula are hot and dry in the third degree, opening and cleansing, and yet with a little astriction or binding. All the kinds of Oenanthes have the same faculty, except the fourth, whose pernicious faculty we have formerly touched.

The Virtues.

            A. The root of common Filipendula boiled in wine and drunken, is good against all pains of the bladder, causeth one to make water, and breaketh the stone. The like Dioscorides hath written of Oenanthe; the root, saith he is good for them that piss by drops.

            B. The powder of the roots of Filipendula often used in meat, will preserve a man from the falling sickeness.