The Voynich Botanical Plants

Folio 11r, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), is an evergreen, woody, upright or sprawling, perennial herb native to the Mediterranean region. It has a taproot; small, blue flowers; and thin, spiky, evergreen leaves with a pungent aromatic odor, that are used to flavor a wide variety of Mediterranean foods. Rosemary can be propagated either by seeds, layering of branches, or division of roots. The ancients used rosemary to improve memory and it was also used as a symbol of remembrance at funerals and weddings. Orphelia reminds us: “rosemary is for rememberance.”