f52r "Ankh Root" and Pal. Lat. 1078

[MarcoP]

The plant with the loop in the roots is Alchemical Herbal #62, “Polexinas”, here called “Polo-rinas”. The illustration was considerably altered through the chain of copies that led to the BAV manuscript: the plant can only be recognized by also considering the name; the text confirms that indeed the source was #62.

Italian text from BAV manuscript:

Herba polo rinas al mal de testa et al fredo de petto usa
a mangiare di questa herba con le ove la sera et
lo matina, guaresce tosto et provato. Item a mal nascente
quando non se po guarire fandi polvera et mitila in su la
piaga, salda ben ogni piagha per spacio de jorni 20.

Translation:

Polerinas herb for headaches and chest cold; use this herb by eating it with eggs in the evening and in the morning, and one quickly recovers; it is proven. Likewise, for a developing wound, when it cannot otherwise be healed, make a powder of it and put it on the wound; it heals every wound well within the space of 20 days.

Translation of the earlier Latin source from the Pavia ms (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.):

For healing head ailments and chest colds: take this herb and eat it with eggs in the evening and in the morning, and this is proven for head pain. Also, for healing persistent wounds that cannot be healed: make a powder of this herb and put it on the inveterate wounds; they will be healed within ten days.

   

The parallel between the plant with two heads (Alchemical Herbal #41, “Illiloris”) and VMS You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. was discussed in 2014 on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (sadly, his web posts are getting more and more degraded with time). Stephen referenced the Vermont Herbal.