Horticultural Reviews, Volume 44

Jules Janick, Jules Janick

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781119281252
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Botany
• Index: Biological Sciences

Horticultural Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on topics in horticultural science and technology covering both basic and applied research. Topics covered include the horticulture of fruits, vegetables, nut crops, and ornamentals. These review articles, written by world authorities, bridge the gap between the specialized researcher and the broader community of horticultural scientists and teachers.

1
Identification of Phytomorphs in the Voynich Codex

Arthur O. Tucker

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, USA

Jules Janick

Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

ABSTRACT

The Voynich Codex, one of the most fascinating and bizarrely illustrated manuscripts in the world, is preserved in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library of Yale University. The descriptive text seems to be an undeciphered writing system. The manuscript has been divided into sections by Voynich commentators, with the major portion of the manuscript depicting plant, animal, and geological images. About 362 phytomorphs, 20 zoomorphs, and 1geomorph are included. In 1944, Hugh O'Neill, a distinguished taxonomic botanist at the Herbarium of the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, identified two Mesoamerican plants, indicating the possibility that this manuscript is post-Columbian. These identifications were expanded by Tucker and Talbert (2013) to include 37 plants of Colonial New Spain. This paper extends these identifications to 59 phytomorphs, encompassing 55 plant species. Phytomorphs were analyzed by comparing the morphology of the botanical illustrations with herbarium specimens, photographs, and contemporary sources of live plants. The 55 plant species, identified with various levels of certainty, are either circumboreal or indigenous to Colonial New Spain. Most appear to have medicinal uses to improve human health. No European, Asian, or South American plants have been identified other than circumboreal species. This study is consistent with the determination that the Voynich Codex is a herbal written in Colonial New Spain in the 16th century.

KEYWORDS: Aztec; botany; Colonial New Spain; herbal; Mexico; plant taxonomy; Voynich Manuscript

1. I INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT
2. II PHYTOMORPH IDENTIFICATION
   1. A Fern: Ophioglossaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 100v #5. Ophioglossum palmatum (Fig. 1.1)
   2. B Gymnosperm: Taxodiaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 100r #15. Taxodium sp., cf. T. mucronatum (T. huegelii, T. mexicanum)? (Fig. 1.2)
   3. C. Angiosperms: Asparagaceae/Agavaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 100r #4. Agave sp., cf. A. atrovirens (Fig. 1.3)
   4. D. Apiaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 16v. Eryngium sp., cf. E. heterophyllum (Fig. 1.4)
   5. E. Apocynaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 100r #14. Gonolobus chloranthus (Fig. 1.5)
   6. F. Araceae
      1. 1. Fol. 100r #2. Philodendron mexicanum (Fig. 1.6)
      2. 2. Fol. 100r #7. Philodendron sp. (Fig. 1.7)
   7. G. Asteraceae
      1. 1. Fol. 53r. Ambrosia sp., cf. A. ambrosioides (Fig. 1.8)
      2. 2. Fol. 93r. Helianthus annuus (Fig. 1.9)
      3. 3. Fol. 13r. Petasites sp., cf. P. frigidus var. palmatus (Fig. 1.10)
      4. 4. Fol. 33v. Psacalium sp.? Pippenalia sp.? (Fig. 1.11)
      5. 5. Fol. 40v. Smallanthus sp. (Fig. 1.12)
   8. H. Boraginaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 47v. Cynoglossum grande (Fig. 1.13)
      2. 2. Fol. 56r. Phacelia campanularia (Fig. 1.14)
      3. 3. Fol. 39v. Phacelia crenulata (Fig. 1.15)
      4. 4. Fol. 51v. Phacelia integrifolia (Fig. 1.16)
      5. 5. Fol. 26r. Wigandia urens (Fig. 1.17)
   9. I. Brassicaceae
      1. 1. Fol. 90v. Caulanthus heterophyllus (Fig. 1.18)
   10. J. Cactaceae
       1. 1. Fol. 100r #8. Opuntia sp., cf. O. ficus-indica (Fig. 1.19)
   11. K. Caryophyllaceae
       1. 1. Fol. 24r. Silene sp., cf. S. menziesii Infected with Microbotryum violaceum (Fig. 1.20)
   12. L Convolvulaceae
       1. 1. Fol. 1v + 101v(2) #4. Ipomoea arborescens (Fig. 1.21)
       2. 2. Fol. 57r. Ipo...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Copyright
• Contributors
• Dedication: Cary A. Mitchell
• 1 Identification of Phytomorphs in the Voynich Codex
• 2 Urban Agriculture: Environmental, Economic, and Social Perspectives
• 3 The Floriculture Vegetative Cutting Industry
• 4 Orchid Biotechnology
• 5 Chilling Injury in Tomato Fruit
• 6 Oomycete Diseases of Cucurbits: History, Significance, and Management
• 7 Huanglongbing: Devastating Disease of Citrus
• 8 Scab and Fire Blight of Apple: Issues in Integrated Pest Management
• Subject Index
• Cumulative Subject Index
• Cumulative Contributor Index
• EULA