From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA flower name with two reported identifications.
- In the bookAnthos similarly gives different senses in vegetables and metals.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 22; facsimile PDF page 350.
Historical definition
Flos sectarum Croe is the flower of nutmeg, or, according to some, of saffron.
Meaning
The wording records disagreement: nutmeg is named first, while saffron is attributed to others. Both possibilities should remain visible. The compiler supplies no descriptive feature that resolves the difference.
Use in the book
Anthos similarly gives different senses in vegetables and metals. This entry is narrower in naming plant-related alternatives, but it still requires context. The edition retains the unusual headword and the attributed second opinion instead of choosing one identification as certain or adding a modern species name.
Places to read
- Flos sectarum CroeRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- AnthosA term whose sense changes between vegetable and metallic contexts.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 22; facsimile PDF page 350 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary 1650, s.v. Flos sectarum Croe