Because the Tragoriganum is joyned next unto the Origanum, I thinke it fitting for to shew you them in the same manner, yet in a distinct chapter by themselves, for that their face and property is a little differing.
1. Tragoriganum Creticum. Goates Organy of Candy.
Satureja thymbra. -Henriette
This small low Tragoriganum of Candy hath divers small low branches, not above a foot high, somewhat wooddy, whereon are set at severall joynts two leaves, and sometimes more, which are somewhat broader, rougher, and harder than the leaves of Candy Tyme, and somewhat like unto Summer Savory, but of a sadder greene colour, the small hooded gaping flowers stand at the top of the branches, in severall distances about the stalkes, of a purplish red colour, the whole plant and every part thereof tasteth very hot and sharp, and smelleth very sweet, but somewhat strong and quick, soone piercing the sences, and abideth greene all the Winter if it be carefully preserved, but left without defence, it seldome abideth, the roote spreadeth with many small fibres thereat.
2. Tragoriganum latifolium sive Marum Cortusi Matthiolo. Broad leafed Goates Organy, or Marjerome.
Teucrium marum. -Henriette
This other Goats Marjerome is a fine small bushy plant, little above halfe a foot high, whose stalkes are not so wooddy, but tenderer like Marjerom, with many small smooth gentle leaves, two for the most part set together at a joynt, somewhat broader than our Mastick Tyme, of so strong, hot, and quick a scent, that being a little bruised and smelled unto, it pierceth the sences more than the former, and commeth somewhat neere unto the scent of Calamint or Pennyroyall; the flowers are small and purple, growing up to the toppes of the branches, from betweene the joynts; this bideth greene also like the former, but requireth as much care in the preserving it in the Winter, as the former: the root is a blackish bush of many fibres set together like Marjerome.
3. Tragoriganum Hispanicum. Spanish Goates Marjerome.
Sideritis tragoriganum? -Henriette
This Spanish kinde riseth up somewhat higher than the former, with whiter and harder stalkes, the leaves are whiter also, smaller, narrower, and longer than they, and more store usually at every joynt, smelling somewhat sweet, but nothing so strong or quick, nor tasting so hot as they: the flowers are white, and grow at severall distances towards the tops of the stalkes, but larger and more gaping, standing in brownish greene huskes: this also abideth green in the winter, but is more hardly preserved than either of the former: the root is more wooddy, and lesse bushy than they.
this looks to be a different plant: -Henriette
Matthiolus first set forth this plant, calling it Tragoriganum, which he saith he doth assume to be so, having divers stalkes from a bushy root, and small leaves growing thereon at severall distances, which are like unto the ordinary wild Tyme, or mother of Tyme: the flowers are purple, standing in rundles, at the toppes of the branches. This smelleth somewhat like Pennyroyall.
The Place.
This first groweth in Candy and in Spaine also, as Clusius saith. The second is not knowne (being not set down by Cortusus, which sent it to Matthiolus) where it groweth. The third Clusius saith he found in the Kingdome of Valentia in Spaine. The last, Matthiolus saith groweth in the Country of Forojulium.
The Time.
They all flower very late with us, and some so late, that we hardly see any flowers untill October, if we see any at all.
The Names.
It is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (and in Latine Tragoriganum) quasi hircum origanum dicas, quod pubulo gratum sit hircis, ut Onitis asinis, potius quam, quod hircum faeteat. The first is called by Pena and Lobel in their Adversaria Tragoriganum Cretense apud Venetos, by Clusius Tragoriganum 3 Hispanicum; by Caspar Bauhinus in his Pinax, Tragoriganum Creticum: and it is likely to be the greater Tyme of Candy, that Prosper Alpinus setteth downe in his Booke of Aegyptian plants.
The second is called by Gesner, Tragoriganum alterum, and so doth Lobel, which is that Marum that Cortusus sent unto Matthiolus for Thymum Creticum, and by that name of Marum, Durantes, Lugdunensis, and Tabermontanus doe call it, and Bauhinus, Tragoriganum latifolium. The third is the second Spanish Tragoriganum of Clusius, bearing white flowers, whom Dodonaeus and Camerarius in his Epitome of Matthiolus upon Dioscorides, Lugdunensis and Tabermontanus doe follow.
The last is the Tragoriganum of Matthiolus, whom Durantes, Lugdunensis, and Tabermontanus doe follow, and Bauhinus calleth Tragoriganum Serpillifolium.
To show you likewise how aptly these plants are called Tragorigana, and how they disagree, it were not amisse to give you the text of Dioscorides thereon. Tragoriganum (saith he) is a small bush or shrub, with leaves and stalkes like unto Serpillum, or Origanum, in some places it is found more fresh and greene, with broader leaves, and somewhat clammy. Another sort is found with slender branches, and small leaves, which some have called Prassium. All these Authors have delivered us these hearbs here mentioned, under the name of Tragoriganum, as supposing them to come neerest unto one or other of those of Dioscorides, both for their forme, sweetnesse of scent, and hotnesse in taste: and Lobel saith that among all the plants that are entituled Tragoriganum, hee could finde none that came neerer to those of Dioscorides, than those two sorts he alloweth of, and are the two first here set downe, the one called by the Venetians Cretense, and that other small low plant that Matthiolus setteth forth, under the name of Marum, which he saith he had from Cortusus. But because they are more hot and sharp than I suppose Dioscorides his to be, for he saith the drinke made of them is both mild and pleasant, or delectable; fit to be taken of those that have loathing stomacks; and moreover, that Galen saith that Tragoriganum, besides the quality of Origanum, hath some astriction or binding property in it also, which in my judgement abateth of the heate of them, making it the milder, but although I cannot absolutely subscribe unto them herein, yet I deny not any of them their due praises, nor their first founders their befitting honours. Bellonius at the latter end of the 62 chapter of his first booke of observations, saith that those of Candy and Cythera, doe call our Winter Savory by the name of Tragarigoni, which is Tragoriganum.
The Vertues.
Dioscorides saith they doe heate or warme the parts whereunto they are applyed, provoke urine, and are profitable to move the belly downewards, by purging choller, if the decoction thereof be taken inwardly;
as also, that a decoction made thereof with vinegar, helpeth those that are troubled with the spleene;
and taken in wine, helpeth those that have taken the venemous Ixia (which is the roote of the black Chamaeleon Thistle, having as he saith, the taste and smell of Basill) procureth womens monethly courses,
and given with honey in an Electuary, helpeth those that have a cough, and are short winded:
the drinke thereof is milde and delectable, fit to be given to those that loath their meate, and have weake stomacks, or such as have sowre belchings, and for those vomitings that are procured by the tossings and aire of the Sea, and also for the heart-burning.
Galen saith in his eighth booke of simple medicines, that it hath the same properties that the Origana have, but withall, hath a little astriction.
Pliny in a manner hath the same things, for he saith, it provoketh urine, dissolveth tumors or swellings, and is especially good for those that have taken the poison of Viscum, (for so he termeth the Ixia of Dioscorides) in drinke, and for the biting of a Viper: for sowre belchings of the stomack, the heart-burning, and for coughes, Plurisies, and shortnesse of breath.
