27-03-2016, 03:03 PM
The way the stem is drawn, slender and slightly undulating is one of the constants in the botanical section and appears always to denote a vine, not usually considered distinct from a creeper as we would do. If a true vine is meant, then tendrils are shown.
The leaves and petiole are always perfectly true to type. In this case we see the leaves are opposite and the leaves have entire margins etc. That can be taken as literally true as it would be in a modern botanical drawing, in my experience.
The red line appears to begin from the lower part of the stem, so I'm just guessing now, but I'd be looking for a plant of that sort which was either irritating to the eyes, or which gave a substance useful as a kind of 'red khol' if any existed, or again which was especially good for eye-problems. Eye troubles are an unusually large proportion of the ills listed in the Egyptian and the Nestorian books of remedies.
About the later bit of marginalia - I can't guess how it might relate to the plant. If I find time in the next week or so, Koen, I'll see if I can offer an i.d. to add to the others.
The leaves and petiole are always perfectly true to type. In this case we see the leaves are opposite and the leaves have entire margins etc. That can be taken as literally true as it would be in a modern botanical drawing, in my experience.
The red line appears to begin from the lower part of the stem, so I'm just guessing now, but I'd be looking for a plant of that sort which was either irritating to the eyes, or which gave a substance useful as a kind of 'red khol' if any existed, or again which was especially good for eye-problems. Eye troubles are an unusually large proportion of the ills listed in the Egyptian and the Nestorian books of remedies.
About the later bit of marginalia - I can't guess how it might relate to the plant. If I find time in the next week or so, Koen, I'll see if I can offer an i.d. to add to the others.