The Voynich Ninja

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. lists various versions of " cat's tail" as German common names of horsetail.

I would agree that what is written is Katzenschwantz.

It's probably Equisetum arvense. E. arvense gets little nodules on the roots and the "leaves" turn up more than some of the other Equiseta.

(02-04-2016, 01:27 AM)-JKP- Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I would agree that what is written is Katzenschwantz.

It's probably Equisetum arvense. E. arvense gets little nodules on the roots and the "leaves" turn up more than some of the other Equiseta.

Thanks JKP - it is could be just root nodules - I agree.

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(01-04-2016, 10:53 PM)Oocephalus Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. lists various versions of " cat's tail" as German common names of horsetail.

Thanks Oocephalus. That settles it - cat's tail it is.

Hi Ellie,
I agree that this is an excellent parallel, thank you for sharing it!

I just found that You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. apparently is a XVI century copy of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..

Attached on the left is an earlier version of Cauda Equina (img 45 from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. possibly the earliest copy 1460 ca). 

Attached on the right is another plant from a different copy of that herbal (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.) dating to 1475 ca. It also has similar roots. The plant is here called Capero (Italian for "capers") but it does not look like capers.

An image very similar to the one you posted appears in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..

(03-04-2016, 02:53 PM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Hi Ellie,
I agree that this is an excellent parallel, thank you for sharing it!

I just found that You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. apparently is a XVI century copy of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..

Attached on the left is an earlier version of Cauda Equina (img 45 from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. possibly the earliest copy 1460 ca). 

Attached on the right is another plant from a different copy of that herbal (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.) dating to 1475 ca. It also has similar roots. The plant is here called Capero (Italian for "capers") but it does not look like capers.

An image very similar to the one you posted appears in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..

Thanks Marco! Great examples!

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(03-04-2016, 09:39 PM)EllieV Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

(03-04-2016, 02:53 PM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Attached on the right is another plant from a different copy of that herbal (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.) dating to 1475 ca. It also has similar roots. The plant is here called Capero (Italian for "capers") but it does not look like capers.

the Capero looks like cyperus

(03-04-2016, 02:53 PM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Hi Ellie,
...460 ca). 

Attached on the right is another plant from a different copy of that herbal (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.) dating to 1475 ca. It also has similar roots. The plant is here called Capero (Italian for "capers") but it does not look like capers.

...

You're right, it doesn't resemble anything that's called capers.

It does resemble one of the varieties of Acorus that have long narrow basal leaves and long knobby zig-zaggy rhizomes. It's a wetland plant similar to iris, but with narrower, fuzzier flowers. Acoruscium is also possible.

Most herbals have some version of Acorus, but not always the same one. Acorus plants don't all have the big fleur-de-lis style flowers—some are more plain and fuzzy.



Edit-Addition:  I just remembered that some herbals illustrate Acorus in the fruiting stage and the example you posted above does look like the fruiting version of Acorus in some of the other herbals.

(03-04-2016, 02:53 PM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Attached on the left is an earlier version of Cauda Equina (img 45 from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. possibly the earliest copy 1460 ca). 

A bit further in the same manuscript is a plant that resembles Ellie's example quite a bit, but called horse tail. One root with one knot is visible.



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I just looked at the original for that "Capero" plant and it says "Cupero" plus when I saw it close up the tassels look more like Cyperus than Acorus.

I'd say Ellie is right. It's Cypress.

(04-04-2016, 09:05 AM)-JKP- Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I just looked at the original for that "Capero" plant and it says "Cupero" plus when I saw it close up the tassels look more like Cypress than Acorus.

I'd say Ellie is right. It's Cypress.

I will add another idea, based on a later copy of Cadamosto's herbal: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..

"Cipero" (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.)
According to You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. "fa radici simili alle olive, or tonde or alquanto lunghette" (it grows roots like olives, sometimes round, sometimes somehow longer).

That Cyperus makes much more sense than cypress, if you ask me.

to get back to the original image, I do find it remarkable that the name "cat's tail" goes together with the knots on the roots looking like bells. I wouldn't be surprised if the narrative and idiomatic association between cats and bells in Medieval Europe has something to do with that.