Why is the MS not a copy of older, non European sources?

[ReneZ]

It's of interest to compare Barschius' thoughts with one of the first German printed herbals, the
"Herbarius zu Teutsch", of whichYou are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

If the statements in the preface can be trusted, the originator of the treatise was a rich man, who had travelled in the east, and the medical portion was compiled under his direction by a physician.

Since Barschius also writes in his letter:

This is all the more plausible because the volume contains pictures of exotic plants which have escaped observation here in Germany

it is easy to imagine that Barschius actually had access to a copy of this German herbal.