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[Anton]

Anton: following Diane's observations, I also believe that the mnemonics in or near the roots of the large plants (not the small plants) hint at the plant's usage. This plant - as evident in its name - was traditionally used for all kinds of dying and the oil can apparently even be used for painting. So brushes would be appropriate.

My idea is that the roots reflect anything from Pliny's Natural History's description of the plant that the VMS author considered appropriate. Hence, if the plant is absent in NH or there is no appropriate mnemonic to be associated with that, the root in the VMS will be "commonplace". Like in this case, where roots just repeat mnemonics of the leaves. This, of course, is just an idea yet and needs be validated against a larger set of more or less fitting plant identifications.

I do not consider the pharma section at the moment and can't say anithing about that.

Now, for painting brushes - I did not think of them in that way. I thought of cleaning brushes. In fact, German "Buerste" is the cleaning brush. But you may be right that, while the leaves stand for "Buerste", the roots (according to Pliny or otherwise) stand for painting brushes. Indeed, looking attentively, they have somewhat more "prolonged" look and resemble painting brushes. Very good observation!