11-11-2021, 04:17 PM
Forgive me if the question has been raised before and answered to general satisfaction, but I could not find anything when I searched the forum.
Some of the plants, for example f19v, f39v, show clear discontinuities between root and stem, i.e. a flat section at the top of the root with the stem apparently separate but 'stuck into' the root. Most plants in the VM do not look like this, they have continuous root-to-stem, even if the colour changes and the root bulges or flattens before the stem.
I wondered whether these root-stem discontinuities might represent grafting, where a scion (the young shoot of a plant) is grafted onto a different rootstock? I admit that a flat cut with a scion stuck in the middle doesn't look like the best way of achieving a viable graft, but if the illustrator was only familiar with the concept rather than the detail this might be the simplest - if not horticulturally accurate - way to represent a graft. This was already an ancient art in the 15th century. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.'s an interesting document on the history of grafting.
While rootstocks are usually from the same genus if not actually the same species as the scion, it is possible to graft scions onto rootstocks within the same family of plants, and very occasionally beyond to combine the benefits (for example disease resistance) of one type of root with those (such as tastiness) of another plant.
The VM plants with discontinuities don't seem to be fruit trees or anything commonly grafted today, but - and this is getting into really wild speculation - if in the 1400s you wanted to combine the medicinal benefits of one plant with those of another, perhaps you might try grafting one medicinal herb onto the rootstock of another...
Some of the plants, for example f19v, f39v, show clear discontinuities between root and stem, i.e. a flat section at the top of the root with the stem apparently separate but 'stuck into' the root. Most plants in the VM do not look like this, they have continuous root-to-stem, even if the colour changes and the root bulges or flattens before the stem.
I wondered whether these root-stem discontinuities might represent grafting, where a scion (the young shoot of a plant) is grafted onto a different rootstock? I admit that a flat cut with a scion stuck in the middle doesn't look like the best way of achieving a viable graft, but if the illustrator was only familiar with the concept rather than the detail this might be the simplest - if not horticulturally accurate - way to represent a graft. This was already an ancient art in the 15th century. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.'s an interesting document on the history of grafting.
While rootstocks are usually from the same genus if not actually the same species as the scion, it is possible to graft scions onto rootstocks within the same family of plants, and very occasionally beyond to combine the benefits (for example disease resistance) of one type of root with those (such as tastiness) of another plant.
The VM plants with discontinuities don't seem to be fruit trees or anything commonly grafted today, but - and this is getting into really wild speculation - if in the 1400s you wanted to combine the medicinal benefits of one plant with those of another, perhaps you might try grafting one medicinal herb onto the rootstock of another...