A History of Monsters. 695

...sometimes produced among various kinds. Starting, therefore, with the more familiar examples, we shall discuss the rose that bears a small green branch in the center of its bloom.

Theophrastus recorded a great many varieties of roses, which differ in the number or scarcity of their petals, their roughness or smoothness, the color of their stems, and their scent. Generally, however, roses are assigned to two main groups: the cultivated and the wild. To the cultivated or garden group belongs that purple rose called "the less red" by Pliny, known to Italians as the *incarnata* (flesh-colored) rose, and called the "common" or "pale-red" rose in the shops of the pharmacists. Next to this is the white rose, which is considered more common and has a full bloom. Another is the deep red rose, called "all-silk" (*holoserica*) by Lobelius and the "Damask rose" in the pharmacies, which puts forth both simple and full flowers. There is another of this kind, though its red is less saturated. Another is called the "musk rose" from its scent, growing with both simple and multiple petals. Another variety grows without thorns, varying in the size of its flower. Finally, there is one similar to the *incarnata* and the common garden rose, but with a curled leaf. The wild genus of roses includes many species, which will be discussed in the *History of Plants*.

Thus, among the species of garden roses, that common variety known to the Italians as *incarnata* produced a monstrous growth in the year of our salvation 1596. It had large leaves and a calyx that was not particularly large, from which "bearded" leaflets usually emerge; however, in this case, large and broad green leaves were seen growing there.

From the very center of the rose, where the part called the *anthos* is located, a small branch a span and a half long emerged, covered in numerous leaves. It lacked any sign of an abortive rose, which is sometimes seen in other specimens. Usually, Nature fashions another flower in the middle of a first one from the primary portion of the calyx when the floral material is luxuriant. But in this monster, we must attest to the opposite: for, as the herbaceous matter grew luxuriantly, it sent out other green leaves from the center of the flower. This monster is shown in Image XV.

In that same year—specifically 1592—there grew in the public garden that bulbous plant which Matthiolus called the "Martagon of the Alchemists," Lobelius called the "Mountain Lily," and Cesalpino called the "Purple Wild Lily." This plant varies in the color of its flowers; some are more red, others less so. Some are white and are held in higher value. The red ones are distinguished by certain spots. The flowers of all of them face the ground and grow at intervals at the top of the stem, and the petals reflect back toward the stalk. The leaves of the plant around the stem are broad, and the root is bulbous and filled with a yellow color. It grows here and there in wooded places and is therefore considered very well known.

This plant grew into a monstrous and admirable form, first because of the height of its stem, which exceeded four and a half feet. Furthermore, although the stem was similar to other plants of this kind for about a foot and a half of its length, thereafter the entire stem became broad, flattened, and green in color, packed everywhere with leaflets. Since plants of this kind usually bloom from the bottom to the top, and this plant showed fifteen open flowers at the same time, it seems likely—had the plant not been cut off at the root crown—that it would undoubtedly have raised itself to an even greater height, and the remaining fifty counted flowers would have appeared as they opened. This monstrous plant is presented for inspection in Image XVI, where only ten open flowers were drawn so that all the remaining closed ones, with their calyxes representing the shape of dates, could be more clearly seen.

It also sometimes happens that we see a monstrous flower of the Great Daisy. Matthiolus, in his commentaries on Dioscorides, records three kinds of this plant; however, Bauhin in his *Phytopinax* enumerates twelve species (it is called *Bellis* on account of its pretty and lovely flower). Here, we are speaking of that species called the "Great Daisy," which puts forth leaves that end in a broad circumference from a narrow base; they are somewhat round and serrated all around in the manner of an oak leaf. However, those that grow around the stem are narrower and more oblong, like the leaves of groundsel. From a single root, it sends out several rounded and robust stems a cubit long, from the tips of which burst flowers larger than those of chamomile or feverfew, with a golden color inside and white petals surrounding the yellow.

In a similar plant observed by us, the flower was so monstrously constructed that only the petal