Plants in the alchemical herbal, one of the most popular herbals in XV century Italy, are largely unrecognisable. Trinity ms MS O.2.48, pointed out by Rene, also is striking in this respect: it includes the well-known "Pseudo-Apuleius" collection, but (Pseudo-Apuleius apart) most of the pages describe unidentifiable plants. The drawings appear to have been created on the basis of the text, that describes plants by analogy with other plants. For instance, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. is said to have leaves like lavender, flowers like dove's foot and root like basil.
Pliny says that nymphaea's flower is like lily (flore lilio simili): a possibility is that the illustrator created at least part of the images on the basis of the text. In this case, he might have used (a drawing of) lily as a model for the flower. But I believe it is likely that most of the plants will not be identifiable even when we can read the text (as is the case with the alchemical herbal and the Trinity ms).
Pliny says that nymphaea's flower is like lily (flore lilio simili): a possibility is that the illustrator created at least part of the images on the basis of the text. In this case, he might have used (a drawing of) lily as a model for the flower. But I believe it is likely that most of the plants will not be identifiable even when we can read the text (as is the case with the alchemical herbal and the Trinity ms).
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