The Voynich Ninja

Here is the list of the 98 plants that appear in the so-called alchemical herbals.
It is the same list published by You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.. Please refer to that page for an introduction to the subject.

I have added links to the images from BNF Lat. 17848, XV Century Northern Italy, and (for the missing pages) BNF Lat. 17844, XV Century Northern Italy with Hebraic annotations (thanks to You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.).
[Edited: Links to Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Milan, Italy, 1378 - Six plants missing]

For the names that have an obvious symbolic meaning in Latin or Italian, I provide a possible translation.

In parenthesis the identification of the plant as proposed in "Il Giardino Magico degli Alchimisti" by Vera Segre Rutz. Her identifications are based on all the available elements: illustrations, plant names and further information provided in the text of the herbal.
Finally, I have added a short description for most of the plants, mainly to highlight the zoomorphic and anthropomorphic elements (see also You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). [Edited to add:] These descriptions are only based on the illustrations, with no attempt to match them with the identifications proposed by Segre.


1 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Antolla minor  (anthyllis vulneraria) yellow flowers, accompanied by a winged dragon 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Antolla minor

2 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Bortines  (colchium autumnale) yellow flowers, red bulbous root in cross-section 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Bortines

3 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Torogas  (scrophularia nodosa) white flowers, numerous human faces on leaves and roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Torogas

4 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Nigras  “black plant” (genista tinctoria) yellow flowers, bulbous root, small dog climbing on the plant 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Nigras

5 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Stellaria  “star plant” (alchemilla vulgaris) red flowers, red and yellow bulbous root in cross-section 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Stellaria

6 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Bonifatia  (ruscus hypoglossum) a single dark dot on some of the leaves, large rhizome 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Bonifatia

7 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Betonega  (stachys officinalis) red flowers, undulate leaf margins 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Betonega

8 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Instanutia  (hieracium pilosella) red berries, large rhizome 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Instanutia

9 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Canalaritas romana  (eupatorium cannabinum - dubious) white flower, red-tipped trilobed leaves, dragon or snake-shaped roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Canalaritas romana

10 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Rena  (peucedanum ostruthium) trilobed leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Rena

11 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Triacho  (tussilago farfara) many small white flowers, undulate leaf margins, vaguely pawn-like roots 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Triacho

12 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Bososilles  (buxus sempervirens) red and yellow nodular roots 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Bososilles

13 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Angalles  (plantago major, see also 39) large lanceolate leaves, spherical red and yellow bulbous root in cross-section
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Angalles

14 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Toros  (ranunculus thora) white flowers, small opposite leaves, accompanied by a winged dragon spitting fire
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Toros

15 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Grantia  (rubia tinctorum) red flowers, large lanceolate leaves, red and yellow bulbous root in cross-section 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Grantia

16 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Tortorellis  (polygonum bistorta) red flowers, red root similar to a broken line 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Tortorellis

17 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lingua cornena  (scolopendrium officinale) semicircular white root 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Lingua cornena

18 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Trifolio  (trifolium pratense) spike-like flower, trilobed leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Trifolio

19 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Ariola  (daphne laureola) red flowers, oval leaves
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Ariola  

20 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Superna  (sorbus aucuparia) the leaves are near the margins and green at the center
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Superna

21 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Faba inversa  (atropa belladonna) purple bell-shaped flowers, red spherical berries 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Faba inversa

22 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Paris  (paris quadrifolia) four orthogonal leaves, central flower or fruit
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Paris  

23 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Ciloga  (cynoglossum officinale) single red flower, lanceolate leaves
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Ciloga  

24 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Antollas  (aconitum anthora) palmate leaves red near the margins, green at the center
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Antollas

25 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Antolla lupanas  “wolf's antolla” (ranunculus acer or aconitum lycoctonum – dubious) yellow flowers, palmate leaves red near the margins, green at the center
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Antolla lupanas  

26 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Cofflesanas  (polygonum aviculare)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Cofflesanas

27 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Cancealis  (clematis recta)
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28 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Toffanas  (sanicula europaea) white flowers, palmate leaves, large yellow rhizome
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Toffanas  

29 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Brancha lupina  “wolf's branches?” (acanthus mollis) yellow flowers, trilobed leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Brancha lupina

30 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Salsifica  (tragopogon porrifolius) rosette of lanceolate leaves with undulate margins 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Salsifica

31 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Sabastrella  (sanguisorba officinalis) three red leaves at the top
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Sabastrella  

32 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Amorsu serpentis  “plant for snake's bite” (aquilegia vulgaris - dubious) hand-shaped flowers, palmate leaves, three human heads in the roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Amorsu serpentis

33 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Tedorixe  (polypodium vulgare - dubious) checkered patterned leaves, large rhizome
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Tedorixe  

34 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lucea et de nouem una  (rhamnus saxatilis) each leaf is half white / half green, roots in the shape of a pike fish
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Lucea et de nouem una  

35 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Ditimo biancho  (dictamnus albus) large red flowers with four petals with a dark spot at the center, accompanied by a dragon or snake
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Ditimo biancho  

36 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Requificia  (glycyrrhiza glabra, liquorice)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Requificia  

37 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Illocharias  (cochlearia officinalis) white flowers, twisted red root 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Illocharias

38 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Foleas  / Trifoleas (achillea millefolium) red flowers, three red bulbs in the shape of human heads 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Foleas

39 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Angalles  (plantago lanceolata, see also 13) white flowers, large lanceolate leaves, squared yellow and red bulb in cross-section
Missing from Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408

40 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Luza Mandragora  (mandragora officinarum) dog roped to the anthropomorfic root, accompanied by a man with his hands to his ears
Missing from Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408

41 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Illioris  (helleborus niger) yellow flowers, a single large lanceolate leaf, two red oval bulbs with human faces 
Missing from Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408

42 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Tilles  (thymus serpyllum – dubious) three yellow flowers geometrically alternating with four lanceolate leaves, long rhizome
Missing from Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408 

43 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Paroischas  (scorzonera hispanica) red flowers, large lanceolate leaves, accompanied by a dragon
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Paroischas  

44 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Corporelis  / Corborellis “crow plant” (hepatica nobilis) red flowers, polygonal leaves, root in the shape of a black bird
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Corporelis  

45 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Cipola marina  (urginea maritima) rosette of lanceolate leaves, dark bulb with a red circle / section
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Cipola marina  

46 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Palma Christi  “hands of Christ” (dactylorhiza maculata) red flowers, opposite leaves, hand-shaped root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Palma Christi  

47 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Bazea minor et de nouem una  (daucus carota, carrot) rosette of lanceolate leaves, large bulb in the shape of a human head, accompanied by a winged dragon
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Bazea minor et de nouem una

48 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Folio  (equisetum arvense - dubious) three lanceolate leaves, accompanied by a sword and a dagger
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Folio

49 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Rigogola  BNF Lat 17844 (galega officinalis) red bell-shaped flowers, opposite leaves
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Rigogola  

50 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Pane porcino  “pig's bread” BNF Lat 17844 (cyclamen hederifolium) red flowers, trilobed leaves, spherical bulb
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Pane porcino  

51 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Artetica montaria  (arnica montana)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Artetica montaria  

52 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Mula campana  (inula helenium) bell-shaped flowers, the root seems to be separate from the plant
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Mula campana  

53 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Zinziana  / Gentiana (gentiana lutea) two yellow flowers, the root seems to be separate from the plant, accompanied by a winged dragon
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Zinziana

54 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. “eye of God” (lithospermum officinale - dubious) red flowers, small needle-shaped leaves, red roots - You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. BNF 17844  has a version with a human eye in the roots (but this illustration is in a different style and it is not part of the "alchemical cycle" included in the ms)
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Oculus Domini

55 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Sancta Maria  (mentha viridis - dubious) rosette of lanceolate leaves, large curved red inflorescence
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Sancta Maria  

56 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lunaria greca  “Greek moon plant” (alysson – dubious) small crescent-shaped leaves, large brown roots 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Lunaria greca

57 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Capalias  (capparis spinosa) yellow berries 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Capalias

58 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Nascurso  (nasturtium officinale) yellow flowers, large rhizome
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Nascurso  

59 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Belletollis  (asperula odorata, French: belletoile) two yellow berries, red nodular roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Belletollis  

60 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Metries  (myrtus communis - dubious) yellow flowers, bilobed leaves, red roots 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Metries

61 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Ystatoris  (isatis tinctoria) white flowers, rosette of three lanceolate leaves, bulbous root in the shape of a human head
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Ystatoris

62 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Polexinas  (ruscus aculeatus) 
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63 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Serpentina  “snake plant” (asarum europaeum) yellow flowers, round leaves, vague snake-like green root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Serpentina

64 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Pionica  (paeonia mascula) red flower with six round petals, dark berries, white nodular roots, accompained by a black devil
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Pionica

65 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Rucha salvaticha  (eruca sativa, salad rocket) 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Rucha salvaticha

66 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Caspetres  BNF Lat 17844 (saxifraga hirculus) reddish flowers with many petals 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Caspetres

67 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Brancha  BNF Lat 17844 (potentilla erecta) red flowers with four petals, palmate leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Brancha

68 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Spigonarda  BNF Lat 17844 (nardostachys jatamansi - dubious) long spike, blue palmate leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Spigonarda

69 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lunaria  “moon plant” (lunaria rediviva) 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Lunaria

70 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Erba rigano  (origanum vulgare) large red flowers, smaller opposite leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Erba rigano

71 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Sigillo de Sancta Maria  (polygonatum officinale) green berries, nodular roots somehow resembling human eyes
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. BNF Lat 17844
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Pavia Aldini 211
Missing from Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408

72 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Rapillis  (raphanus raphanistrum) yellow flowers, lanceolate leaves, two yellow and red oval bulbs in cross-section, accompained by a dragon or snake
Missing from Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408

73 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Bustania  (anchusa officinalis) curved lanceolate leaves, twisted red roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Bustania

74 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Forus  (verbena officinalis) five couples of leaves of different shapes, five radial roots represented as dragon or snake heads
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Forus

75 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Capalarices  (verbena officinalis) single pendulous dark flower and single long and curved root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Capalarices

76 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Luminellas  (euphrasia officinalis – dubious, see also 77) small red blossoms or berries, leaves with undulate margins
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Luminellas

77 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Ruschasia  (euphrasia officinalis) leaves with undulate margins 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Ruschasia

78 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Scudaria  “shield plant” (umbilicus rupestris) red lower leaves, green upper leaves, bulbous root with human face 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Scudaria

79 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lunaria  “moon plant” (petasites hybridus – dubious) named like 56 and 69 but different: small blossoms or berries at the top, a single leaf on the left, regularly placed peduncles on both sides of the stem 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Lunaria

80 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Tunegi  (satureja montana - dubious) small red flowers radially disposed, large white root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Tunegi

81 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lactica  (lactuca virosa) 
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82 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Barbaria  (barbarea vulgaris) yellow berries, large dark root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Barbaria

83 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Tura  (arthemisia absinthum) yellow flowers, small leaves, dark conical root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Tura

84 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Gerbia  (carex) rosette of lanceolate leaves, large vaguely anthropomorphic root
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Gerbia

85 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Bruza  (oxalis acetosella) conical, with ten stylized flowers, wavy gray roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Bruza

86 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Lunaria tercia  “third moon plant” (it is the fourth actually, see 56, 69, 79) red berries, round leaves, dark bulb
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Lunaria tercia

87 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Attillia  (ceterach officinarum) red flowers, red leaves with dentate margins, red roots
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Attillia

88 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Victoria  (allium victorialis) red flowers, the left half of each lanceolate leaf is red, the right half is green 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Victoria

89 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Rondella  (chelidonium majus) small red flowers, lobed leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Rondella

90 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Genesiana aliter Genciana  (erythraea centaurium) 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Genesiana aliter Genciana

91 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Fiorina  BNF Lat 17844 (erythraea centaurium, see 90) 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Fiorina

92 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Capillaria  "hair plant" (cuscuta) small red flowers and thin, long red leaves
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Capillaria

93 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Giralia  (arum italicum) 
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94 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Gratilia sive Gratiana  (gratiola officinalis) red flowers, rosette of lanceolate leaves
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Gratilia sive Gratiana

95 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Granellaria  (saxifraga granulata) yellow berries, small lobed leaves 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Granellaria

96 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Pionia  (paeonia peregrina) 
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97 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Consolida mayor  (symphytum officinale) 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Consolida mayor

98 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Herba Consolida minor  (symphytum officinale) -same page as Consolida Major- 
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Herba Consolida minor  (and Consolida Mediana)

"6 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (ruscus hypoglossum) a single dark dot on some of the leaves, large rhizome"

One of the most distinctive characteristics of Ruscus is the berries. Unlike most plants, where berries are attached to the stem (or the ends of stems), some species of Ruscus have berries growing directly from the leaf.


"8 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (hieracium pilosella) red berries, large rhizome "

The various mouse-ears and hawkweeds don't have berres. They are similar to dandelions in that they have delicate puffy wind-dispersed seedheads. Some of the Hieraciums are a bright orange so I'm guessing the illustration is showing the petals just before they open (and some of them don't open very wide).


"43 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (scorzonera hispanica) red flowers, large lanceolate leaves, accompanied by a dragon"

This plant has a basal whorl and some species have parallel veins (e.g., S. humilis). On the varieties grown for crops, the root tends to be carrotlike but in some of the heritage versions, the root will also divide. Note that Scorzonera is one of several possible identifications for the VMS plant that many have assumed to be mandrake because it has a critter nibbling on a leaf but if the critter is a dragon rather than a dog and is nibbling rather than pulling the leaf, it does not follow the traditional iconography for Mandragora  (plus mandrake doesn't have parallel veins).



I wish I had time to comment on more, but I have to get back to work.

(22-03-2016, 10:38 AM)-JKP- Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view."8 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (hieracium pilosella) red berries, large rhizome "

The various mouse-ears and hawkweeds don't have berres. They are similar to dandelions in that they have delicate puffy wind-dispersed seedheads. Some of them are a bright orange so I'm guessing the illustration is showing the petals just before they open (and some of them don't open very wide).

Thank you JKP, I should have made clear that my brief descriptions are about the illustrations, with no attempt to match them with the identifications proposed by Segre.

(22-03-2016, 10:43 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

(22-03-2016, 10:38 AM)-JKP- Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view."8 You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (hieracium pilosella) red berries, large rhizome "

The various mouse-ears and hawkweeds don't have berres. They are similar to dandelions in that they have delicate puffy wind-dispersed seedheads. Some of them are a bright orange so I'm guessing the illustration is showing the petals just before they open (and some of them don't open very wide).

Thank you JKP, I should have made clear that my brief descriptions are about the illustrations, with no attempt to match them with the identifications proposed by Segre.

If a botanist ever saw my database of plants, he or she would probably be utterly nonplussed. It's completely Voynich-centric, with plants described in a way that helps match them up with old herbals, terms that are not even vaguely botanical but reflect the peculiarities of the time so I actually have a lot of plants parts described as "berries" that aren't berries at all but medieval illustrators tended to draw them that way.    

Many thanks Marco, that's a great effort.
Good also that you managed to find a way to directly link to the Paris BN digitised images. (Does it work for all?).

Two points about the two herbals you are showing:
BN Lat 17844 has little dragons  drawn near many of the herbs. More than any other alchemical herbal.
In BN Lat 17848 the drawings have all been squeezed vertically to fit in a smaller space (although apparently quite unnecessarily, as there is usually lots of space below the text).

I have edited the first post, adding links to Bodley MS. Canon. Misc. 408, Milan, Italy, 1378.

That was a lot of work, thank you marco, very nice.
The matches are very obvious between the drawings.

The so-called “alchemical herbals” are only loosely related with alchemy. Yet, a number of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. contain a short poem about Lunaria, possibly the most puzzling and magical of the "alchemical" plants (see above 56, 69, 79, 86). The poem also appears in the 1652 edition of Ashmole's “You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. - containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers, who have written the hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language".

Segre Rutz writes that, according to some texts (Capitulum Hermetis sapientissimi, Liber Alexandri de septem herbis, Giovanni Cadamosto's herbal) the plant was believed to have 15 leaves on full moon: it lost a leaf on each day of waning moon, and grew a new leaf on each day of waxing moon.

Here is my attempt to render in modern English the poem published by Ashmole.

There is an Herb men call Lunayrie, 
blessed much its maker be. 
Asterion it is called also, 
And other names many and more; 
It is an Herb of great might, 
Of Sol the Sun it takes its light, 
It is the Father, to Crop and Root; 
With fragrant Flowers that are said, 
Flowers to bear in this way, 
Some are White, and some are Red: 
Its Leaves grow, both day and night, 
Like the Ferment that is so bright: 
I shall declare, this Herb so light, 
To many a man it is a fair sight; 
First at the Root I will begin, 
That causes all things forth to spring; 
It grows upon a Mountain brim, 
Where Febis [Phoebus] has great domination: 
The Sun by day, the Moon by night, 
That makes it both fair and bright, 
The Root grows on stones clear, 
White and Red, that is so pure: 
The Root is black, the Stalk is red; 
It will never be dead, 
The Leaves are round, as a Noble Sun, 
And wax and wane as the Moon: 
In the middle a mark the size of a penny, 
Lo it is like our sweet Lunayre: 
Its Flowers shine, fair and clear, 
In all the World they have no peer, 
It is not found in no manner wise, 
But by a shepherd in God's service: 
The good shepherd that I here mean, 
Is he who keeps his soul clean: 
Its Flowers are great and some are small, 
Like to them that grow in Dale; 
With many a virtue both fair and clear, 
As there are days in all the year, 
From falling evil and all sicknesses, 
From Sorrow it brings man to Bliss; 
Unto that bliss that we may come, 
By the help of Mary's Son: 
And of His Mother that is so free, 
Amen good Lord for charity. 

Interesting, Marco. Are you thinking about You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. ? It's got, depending on how you count the different colors, 13 to 15 leaves, a flower with a white part and, perhaps most interestingly, down its stem are signs of leaves that have fallen off. 

I don't know what's going on with the root though. Interestingly, it's white. The Voynich has a taboo on certain dark plant parts, so perhaps the white means it's supposed to be black...

I am not thinking of anything in particular. I am just trying to collect sources related with the so-called alchemical herbals.