The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. Gathered by John Gerarde of London Master in Chirvrgeria,
Imprinted at London by Iohn Norton. 1597
Of Tornesole. Chap.49.
The kindes.
There be fine sorts of Tornsole, differing one from another in many notable points, as in greatnesse and finalnesse, in colour of flowers, in forme and shape.
The description
1 The great Tornesole hath straight rounde stalkes couered with a white hairie cotton, especially about the top whitish leaves, soft and hairie in handling; in shape like the leaues of Basill: the flowers growe at the top of the branches, in colour white, thicke togither in rowes upon one side of the stalke, which stalk---oth bende or turne backwards like the taile of a scorpion: the roote is small and hard.
2 The small Tornesole hath many little and weake brunches trailing upon the grounde, whereupon fo growe finall leaues like those oft he 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.
The description
3 Hairie Tornesole hath likewise manie feeble and weake braunches trailing upon the grounde, set with small leaues lesser then the small Tornsole: among which groweth the seede in small chassie 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 upright Tornsole hath a stalk of two foote high, set with rough hairie leaues, couered with a cottonie downe, not unlike to the leaues of vipers Buglosse. The stalke deuideth it selfe into sundrie small braunches towards the top; the flowers final and idle. The seede is inclosed in little rounde vessels like those of dogs Mercurie.
5 This kinde of Tornsole hath leaues verie like to those of the great Tornsole, but of a blacker greene colour: the flowers be yellow, after which commeth out the fruite hanging upon 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
Tornsole, as Dioscorides saith, doth growe in fennie grounds & neere unto pooles and lakes. They are straungers in Englande as yet: It doth growe about Montpelier in Languedock, where it is had in great use to staine and die clouts withal, wherwith through Eurioe meate is coloured.
The time.
They flourish especially in the sommer solstice, or about the time when the sunne entreth into Cancer.
The names.
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 the reason it flowreth in the sommer solstice, at which time the sunne being farthest gone from the æquinoctiall circle, returneth to the same; & Scropiurum of the twiggie tops that bowe backewarde like a scorpions taile: of the Italians Tornesol bobo: in French Tournsol: it is also called Herba Clitia, whereof the poet hath these verses:
Herba velut Clitia semper petit obuia solem,
Sic pia mens Christum quo prece spectet habet.
The nature.
Tornsole as Paulus Ægineta writeth, is hot and drie, and of a binding facultie.
The vertues.
A good handfull of the great Tornsole boiled in wine and drunke, doth gently purge the body of hot cholericke humours and tough clammic or slimie flegme.
The same is boiled in wine and drunke is good against the stinging of Scorpions or other venemous beasts, and is very good to be applied outwardly upon the griese or wounde.
The seede stamped and laide upon 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.
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