Edith Sherwood Ph.D. and Erica Sherwood

The Voynich Botanical Plants

Folio 2r Back to Plant List
folio 2r

Folio 2r, Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa), is native of Greece and Asia Minor. This weed has a long taproot, and pale-green alternate leaves that are deeply divided into lobes, measuring 1 to 3 inches in length. The single, upright stem produces several spreading branches that end with pink or white thistle-like flowers. During the Middle Ages knapweed had a reputation for curing wounds and was an ingredient in a fourteenth century ointment called ‘salve.’ This folio could also be represented by spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii), also native to Eurasia.