VMS -- Botany (f06v) Wooly Thistle

["Dana F. Scott" <dfscott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

There are many species of burrs and thistles. Among these the Wooly
thistle, Cirsium eriophorum, is so far the closest match to folio f06v
that I have found. Not only the thistle globes, but also the leaves,
stem, and roots need to be considered. The seven pointed star shape of
all the f06v leaves in the VMS may have a special (alchemical?)
significance to the author of the VMS. The eight pointed star shape seen
in f07r also occurs in numerous places within the VMS which is of
interest to me, and yes I realize that there are other stars with
varying numbers of points in the VMS. A comparison to what is found in
the ancient herbals will also be of interest.

Photo:
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/bleeker/holland/cirserio.jpg
http://www.terra.hu/haznov/jpg/Cirsium.eriophorum.4.html
http://ifdf.free.fr/containers/thumb/cirsiuerioph_gen.htm
http://ifdf.free.fr/containers/detail/1999071435_gen.htm

Description:
http://www.gardenbed.com/C/1056.cfm
http://www.fleurs-des-champs.com/fic/fiches/f69.htm
http://www.botanyworld.com/cirsium.html
http://www.fd95.dial.pipex.com/webs/demo/aweb/td001/td_00016.htm
http://utopia.ision.nl/users/aart/flora/Asteraceae/Cirsium/C.eriophorum.html

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/thistl11.html#woo

Regards,
Dana Scott