Of Tornesole.
The kindes (las clases).
There be fiue sorts of Tornesole, differing one from another in many notable points, as in greatnesse and smalnesse, in colour of flowers, in forme and shape. | 1 Heliotropium maius. | 2 Heliotropium minus. | | :--- | :--- | | Great Tornesole. | Small Tornesole. |
The description (la descripción).
1 The great Tornesole hath straight rounde stalkes couered with a white hairie cotton, especially about the top whitish leaues, soft and hairie in handling, in shape like the leaues of Basill: the flowers growe at the top of the braunches, in colour white, thicke together in rowes vpon one side of the stalke, which stalke doth bende or turne backward like the taile of a scorpion: the roote is small and hard. 2 The small Tornesole hath many little and weake braunches trailing vpon the grounde, whereupon do growe small leaues like those of the lesser Basill. The flowers do growe at the endes of the tender braunches, graie of colour, with a little spot of yellow in the middest, the which turneth into crooked tailes like those of the precedent. 3 Heliotropium supinum Clusii & Lobelij. Hairie Tornsole. 4 Heliotropium rectum. Upright Tornesole. 5 Heliotropium Tricoccum. Widowe waile Tornsole. 3 Hairie Tornesole hath likewise manie feeble and weake braunches trailing vpon the grounde, set with small leaues lesser then the small Tornsole: among which groweth the seede in small chaffie huskes which do not turne backe like the taile of a scorpion; which mooueth me to thinke it a kinde of small water Chickweede. 4 The vpright Tornfole hath a stalk of two foote high, set with rough hairie leaues, couered with a cottonie downe, not vnlike to the leaues of vipers Buglosse. The stalke deuideth it selfe into sundrie small braunches towards the top; the flowers smal and idle. The seede is inclosed in little rounde vessels like those of dogs Mercurie. 5 This kinde of Tornesole hath leaues verie like to those of the great Tornfole, but of a blacker greene colour: the flowers be yellow, after which commeth out the fruite hanging vpon small footestalkes three square, and in euery corner there is a small seede like those of the Tythimales; the roote small and threddie.
The place (el lugar).
Tornfole, as Dioscorides saith, doth growe in fennie grounds & neere vnto pooles and lakes. They are straungers in Englande as yet: It doth growe about about Montpelier in Languedock, where it is had in great vse to staine and die clouts withal, wherwith through Europe meate is coloured.
The time (la época).
They flourish especially in the sommer solstice, or about the time when the sunne entreth into Cancer.
The names (los nombres).
The Græcians call it Heliotropium: the Latines keepe these names Heliotropium magnum, and Scorpiurum: of Ruellius Herba Cancri: it is named Heliotropium, not bicause it is turned about at the daily motion of the sunne, but by reason it flowreth in the sommer solstice, at which time the sunne being farthest gone from the æquinoctiall circle, returneth to the same; & Scorpiurum of the twiggie tops that bowe backwarde like a scorpions taile: of the Italians Tornesol bobo: in French Tournsol: it is also called Herba Clitiæ, whereof the poet hath these verses: > Herba velut Clitiæ semper petit obvia solem, > Sic pia mens Christum quo prece flectet habet.
The temperature (el temperamento).
Tornsole as Paulus AEgineta writeth, is hot and drie, and of a binding facultie.
The vertues (las virtudes).
A good handfull of the great Tornsole boiled in wine and drunke, doth gently purge the body of hot cholericke humours and tough clammie or flimie flegme. The same boiled in wine and drunke is good against the stinging of Scorpions or other venemous beasts, and is very good to be applied outwardly vpon the griefe or wounde. The seede stamped and laide vpon warts and such like excrescens or superfluous outgrowings, causeth them to fall away. The small Tornsole and his seede boiled with Hysope, Cresses, and saltpeter and drunke, driueth foorth flat and round wormes. With the small Tornsole they in Fraunce doe die linnen rags and clouts into a perfect purple colour, wherewith cookes and confectionaries do colour iellies, wines, meates, and sundrie confectures: which clouts in shops be called Tornesole after the name of the herbe.
Texto en la ortografía original de Gerard, en inglés de 1597 (la s larga se imprime como s), transcrito por la Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Un capítulo puede continuar en páginas aún no transcritas. Gerard escribía dentro de la medicina galénica; nada de esto es un consejo.