VMS -- Botany (f86v) Plant Reproduction

[Dana Scott <dfscott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Perhaps this has been discussed in the past, but what seems apparent to
me may not be so to others. The layout of the text and drawings on this
page may be considered cyclical (it really doesn't matter where you
start I suppose; sort of like "Which came first the chicken or the
egg?"). What appears here is an attempt to describe the reproductive
process seen to occur among flowers, stamen (refer to the bottom right
drawing), and spores with the aid of the wind (and perhaps birds, though
there may also be a reference here to an unknown incubation mechanism
occuring in plants exemplified by a nesting bird). It may also be that
the bird (possibly an eagle (Roman?) in this case) signifies the spirit
or soul of the plant since, no doubt, numerous reproductive processes
among plants were not clearly understood (plants have to be difficult;
it seems to be much more simplified among animals; well, maybe not). In
any case, what is presented here is pure scientific investigation (a
sophisticated attempt to better understand nature). The person who wrote
this had a goal in mind. It was well thought out, possibly ahead of its
time, and purposeful. A reasonable assumption was made that there must
be both a male and a female role in the reproduciton of plants, though
it may not have been clearly understood (It can be rather confusing
among plants). And why are the birds and the bees and beetles always
trying to get into the act? With this premise one could almost write the
text with the knowledge that we know today about plant reproduction
(though we do not know to what degree this was understood at the time
the artist drew these pictures and the scribe wrote the text). It will
take a bit more work and understanding to correctly identify the plant
structures and the role each drawing plays in this process (notice the
casting of the pollen grains by the male, the pollination process?).

Magnolia:
http://arnica.csustan.edu/photos/800/Magnolia_grandiflora_1_flower.jpg

Humboldt Lily (Lilium humboldtii): (stamen samples)
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0101+0172
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=8253+3202+4147+0102

Flower Anatomy:
http://gened.emc.maricopa.edu/bio/bio181/BIOBK/anglc_1.gif
http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/Michael.Gregory/files/Bio%20201/201%20lectures/Seed%20Plants/Image6.jpg

http://www.wisc.edu/botit/img/bot/130/Early%20development/Bean/Composite%20MC.jpg

http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/book/graphics/257.gif
http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/book/graphics/307.gif

Pollen Grains:
http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/digital.img/2110-06.jpg

Roman Eagle:
http://www.romanity.org/romim/aet.gif

Nesting: (majestic swan)
http://caroluk.esmartweb.com/mavica/swan2nest879x.jpg

Oops:
http://www.wildland.com/Photogallery/galapagos/images/booby_i.jpg

Home Sweet Home: ("Let's try it over hear Dear. No, I think over there
will be better.")
http://www.davidwkelley.com/images/450S-BlueHeronNest-building.jpg

Plant Life Cycle:
http://zygote.swarthmore.edu/plantfig4.gif
http://www.umanitoba.ca/afs/plant_science/COURSES/39-768/l12/Okamuro.1.gif

http://fastplants.cals.wisc.edu/WFPbackground/lifecycle.html
http://www.utm.edu/~rirwin/plantlifecycle.htm

Regards,
Dana Scott