VMS -- Botany (f25v) Dragon Plant

[Dana Scott <dfscott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is a very popular plant commonly known as Pleomele that I
frequently see in office buildings. I believe that I have a pretty good
understanding of why the plant drawing in f25v is such a wonderful
example of the type of herbal specimen that one would hope to find in
the VMS. This plant is a species of the genus Dracaena, such as

Dracaena Roehrs Gold:
http://flora2000.co.kr/foliage/PIC/Dracaena_Roehrs_Gold-1.JPG

Dracaena: (various species)
http://www.floraexotika.sk/rol/dracaena.htm

which I find most interesting in and of itself since this name refers to
a dragon, specifically a female dragon or she-serpent. The stem of this
plant can grow straight and tall with scale-like markings,

Leaf Scar: (monocot)
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~iany/patterns/dracaena.htm

which could be said to look similar in shape and size to a serpent.

King Cobra:
http://www.tri-valley.k12.il.us/es/special/media/graphics/cobra.jpg
http://lincoln.k12.mi.us/~northrop/kingcobra.gif

When Dracaena grows tall and I believe when it flowers it can split its
stem in two, which reminds me of the split tongue of the serpent.
http://www.lazoo.org/anicllct_gifs/snake.jpg

Like many snakes that are venomous, the Dracaena plant is also
classified as toxic.
Poinsonous Plants: (Dracaena species)
http://www.spacerad.com/lara/plant.html

Not only does the name Dracaena refer to a genus of plants but it also
refers to what might be considered a type of dragon, the caiman lizard.
Dracaena guanensis:
http://www.vaherper.com/images/reptiles/Lizards/dracaena_guanensis02.jpg

http://www.projectamazonas.com/ff/herp/dracguia.jpg

Now, I have saved the best for last. The Dracaena plant bleeds. It has
blood. Red blood. Well, perhaps not animal blood, but maybe it could be
considered a type of plant blood, sap. Red sap. Dracaena is

"...native to tropical and subtropical Africa; from the Greek drakaina
meaning female dragon, refering to the red
sap exuded from cut stems; from a large genus with many popular indoor
species."
http://pss.uvm.edu/pss123/foldfm.html

Dragon Tree: (interesting history)
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/plants/Dracaena.draco.html
http://users.tijd.com/~tdn18471/trees/draco.htm

Dracaena Description:
http://www.mcgerik.com/plants/dracaena.shtml
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1504.htm
http://www.ficustropicalplants.com/dracaena.htm
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~APKWEB/folnotes/dracaena.htm
http://www.aginfo.fvsu.edu/teletips/houseplants/615.htm
http://www.zone10.com/UF/Dracaena_PG.htm
http://www.scnu.edu.cn/pub/e9604.html
http://www.pillagoda.freewire.co.uk/ADMIRAL.htm
http://www.chalifours.com/Plant%20Care/dracaena.htm
http://www.aginfo.fvsu.edu/teletips/houseplants/615.htm

Dragon's Blood:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/ency005/50734.html
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Agavaceae/Dracaena_draco.html
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dragon20.html
http://www.nature1.org/d/dragon20.html
http://www.nisbett.com/herbs/d/dragon20.html
http://www.treelore.com/trees/dragonsblood.html
http://aj.encyclopedia.com/printablenew/50734.html

Dragon History:
http://www.lunarpages.com/dragongirl/dragons/history.html

Dracaena massangeana:
http://www.benjis.com/massangeana.htm
http://www.vihersisustaja.com/massangeana.html
http://pioneer-landscape.com/SD7004Dracaena.htm

Dracaena deremensis:
http://www.floraguide.es/arboles/Dracaena%20deremensis.jpg
http://www.levoplant.nl/GR.DRAC.htm
http://pioneer-landscape.com/SD7003Dracaena.htm

Dracaena sanderiana cv. Golden:
http://www.tokyoen.com/gallery/img/sandc2.jpg
http://horticulture.missouri.edu/trinklein/dracaena-s.htm

Dracaena floribunda:
http://pages.intnet.mu/nathraj/drafl.html

Dracaena goldencoast:
http://www.zoomarket-md.ru/linkpics/dracaena-goldencoast.jpg

Dracaena reflexa:
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Agavaceae/Dracaena_reflexa.jpg

Dracaena sanderiana:
http://www.hort.wisc.edu/hort233/Dracaena%20sanderiana.jpg
http://kenti.dk/bambusdracaena.htm

Dracaena warneckii:
http://www.myflorist.com/m113-5large.html
http://www.planet-pets.com/hsedrac2.htm

Dracaena glauca:
http://www.pdma-nurseries.com/Dracaena%20glauca.htm

Dracaena pulescans:
http://pioneer-landscape.com/SD7007Dracaena.htm

Dracaena Botany: (reminds me of snake skin)
http://www.indigo.com/software/gphpcd/bot46.html

My impression is clearly that the scribe of the VMS was well educated in
'natural philosophy', had a very good understanding of plants, and
selected specimens for this manuscript with care. I believe that this
match to Dracaena strengthens provides strength for arguments against
suggestions that the document may be a hoax. While the leaf color
pattern/design looks pretty good in Dracaena massangeana, further
examination/investigation will be required to determine a best choice
for the species.

Regards,
Dana Scott

More Dracaena:
http://www.diasdefiesta.com/DRACAENA%203%20VARAS.jpg
http://www.zephyr.dti.ne.jp/~yanaru/mar/k.dora.jpg
http://www.succulentplants.com/pict24.html
http://aujardin.online.fr/fic/dracaena.htm

Caurica Dracaena : (sea shell)
http://www.cypraea.net/caurica_dracaena.htm

Crowned Beauty:
http://www.myrealms2.net/IC_Llandra.html

Wrapped in Dracaena leaf:
http://www.myrealms2.net/IC_Lunasilva.html

Cordyline terminalis: (Ti plant; red in leaves)
http://pss.uvm.edu/pss123/cordy2.jpg