The Voynich Manuscript/F9v

Transcription, comments, theories, links to do with VMs page f9v to be added here... :-)

Description:
One plant, flush against the right and bottom edges, reaching almost to the top.


 * Root: a bundle of thin wires. Dark overpaint?


 * Stem: one straight. Light color.


 * Branches: two symmetrical pairs, oblique.


 * Leaves: the four lower ones are medium width, lance-shaped, with smooth edges; the others have the same outline but are deeply cut into five narrow points. Dark color.


 * Stalk: short, mostly missing.


 * Flowers: five, at the tips of stem and branches.


 * Stalk: medium length, thin


 * Chalyx: flat or everted, with short triangular sepals, partly hidden by corolla.


 * Petals: five rounded petals, a large one on top, the others like "arms and legs".


 * Core: very small. Medium and dark colors.

Two paragraphs (with 3.7 and 7.7 lines) at the top, left-justified. The first one is right-justified; the second one follows the plant's profile on the right. Both are interrupted in several places by the flowers and leaves.

Comments:
Petersen identifies this plant, with high confidence, as "Viola trinitalis". I coudn't find such species, but "herba trinitatis" is the herbalists' name for Viola tricolor (heartsease,wild pansy) [1,2,3].

Indeed, comparing f9v with a drawing by Carl Lindman [1], we see an almost perfect match --- including the roots, and the two types of leaves.

Dennis Mardle [10 Oct 1998] observes that the details match also Viola arvensis (field pansy), which hybridises with V. tricolor and is very similar in shape, including especially the dimorphic leaves [1,4].

The colors may help resolve this issue. The flowers of Viola tricolor are usually purple and white with yellow core; Lindman's drawing shows V. arvensis as white (or light blue?) with yellow core. Jim Reeds color list [03 Mar 1998] reports some blue on this page, to be confirmed.

In either case, there is one odd detail: the flowers in f9v are upside-down. Also the two bottom flowers are somewhat different.

Viola tricolor was used internally to treat epilepsy, asthma and bronchitis (whole plant), as an emetic and purgative (seeds) and as a heart tonic (flowers). Externally it was used to treat skin diseases [2]. The flowers are reported to be edible.

References:
[1] Carl Axel Magnus Lindman
 * Bilder ur Nordens Flora
 * 227. A. Styvmorsviol, Viola tricolor L.; B. Åkerviol, Viola arvensis Murr.
 * http://www.runeberg.org/nordflor/
 * http://www.runeberg.org/nordflor/227.html

[2] Mrs. M. Grieve, F.R.H.S.
 * A Modern Herbal
 * Viola tricolor - Heartsease
 * http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html
 * http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/hearts10.html

[3] ECNC DATABASE: SAXIFRAGA European Flora Slides
 * Viola tricolor ssp. tricolor
 * http://www.ecnc.nl/doc/ecnc/saxifrag/euroflor.html
 * http://www.ecnc.nl/gif/viotritr.gif

[4] ECNC DATABASE: SAXIFRAGA European Flora Slides
 * Viola Arvensis Murr.
 * http://www.ecnc.nl/doc/ecnc/saxifrag/euroflor.html
 * http://www.ecnc.nl/gif/vioarv.gif