Hidden animals in the roots

[DG97EEB]

Could be iatromathematical... in iatromathematical contexts (you know, the whole medical astrology tradition, humoral theory, planetary hours for harvesting), the form of the plant in the illustration told you what it did. Serpentine = heating properties, transformative, good for venoms. Leonine forms = solar, choleric, hot and dry. The image was functional information, not just identification.
There's also the whole Picatrix influence on this period - astrological pharmacy where plants get associated with planetary qualities and the imagery reflects that association rather than strict botanical accuracy.
Makes me wonder if we've been asking the wrong question about the VMS plants. Everyone argues about whether they're "realistic" vs "imaginary" vs "composite." But what if the manuscript is from a tradition where depicting properties mattered more than depicting species? Where a lion-root isn't bad botany, it's procedural notation?