Fig. 845. Kinds of Milkwort (1-4)

The Description.

            1. There have been many plants nearly resembling Polygala, and yet not the same indeed, which doth verify the Latin saying, Nullum simile est idem.["No likeness is exact identity"] This near resemblance doth rather hinder those that have spent much time in the knowledge of simples, than increase their knowledge. And this also hath been an occasion that many have imagined a sundry Polygala, unto themselves, and so of other plants. Of which number, this (whereof I speak) is one, obtaining this name of the best writers and herbarists of our time, describing it thus. It hath many thick spreading branches, creeping on the ground: bearing leaves like them of Herniaria, standing in rows like the Sea Milkwort; among which do grow small whorls, or coronets of white flowers, the root being exceeding small and thready.

            2. The second kind of Polygala is a small herb with pliant slender stems, of a woody substance, an handful long, creeping by the ground; the leaves be small & narrow like to Lentils, or little Hyssop.The flowers grow at the top, of a blue color, fashioned like a little bird, with wings, tail, and body, easy to be discerned by them that do observe the same: which being past, there succeed small pouches, like those of Bursa pastoris, but lesser.The root is small and woody.

            3. This third kind of Polygala or Milkwort, hath leaves and stalks like the last before mentioned, and differeth from it herein, that this kind hath smaller branches, and the leaves are not so thick thrust together, and the Roots are like the other, but that they be of a red or purple colour.

            4. The fourth kind is like the last spoken of in every respect, but that it hath white flowers; otherwise it is very like.

Fig. 846. Purple Milkwort (5)

            5. Purple Milkwort differeth from the others in the colour of the flowers; it bringeth forth more branches than the precedent, and the flowers are of a purple colour; wherein especially consisteth the difference.

            6. The sixth Milkwort is like unto the rest in each respect, saving that the flowers are of an overworn ill-favoured colour, which maketh it to differ from all the other of his kind.

The Place.

            These plants or Milkworts grow commonly in every wood or fertile pasture wheresoever I have travelled.

The Time.

            They flower from May to August.

The Names.

            Milkwort is called by Dodonæus, Flos ambarvalis; so called because it doth especially flourish in the Cross or Gang week; or Rogation week; of which flowers the maidens which use in the countries to walk the procession do make themselves garlands and nosegays: in English we may call it Cross-flower, Procession-flower, Gang-flower, Rogation-flower, and Milkwort, of their virtues in procuring milk in the breasts of nurses. Hieronymus Tragus, as also Dioscorides, calleth it Polygalon. Gesner calls this Crucis flos; and in his Epistles he nameth it Amarella: it is vulgarly known in Cheapside to the herb-women by the name of Hedge-Hyssop; for they take it for Gratiola, or Hedge-Hyssop, and sell it to such as are ignorant for the same.

The Virtues.

            A. Galen, Dioscorides, and Theophraftus do account these for Milkworts, and that they may without error be used for those purposes whereunto Glaux serveth.

            B. I doubt that this is not the Polygalon of Dioscorides; for Gesner affirms that an handful hereof steeped all night in wine, and drunk in the morning, will purge choler effectually by stool without any danger, as he himself had tried.