Edith Sherwood Ph.D. and Erica Sherwood

The Voynich Botanical Plants

Folio 15r Back to Plant List
folio 15r

Folio 15r, Sow Thistles (Sonchus oleraceus), are common roadside plants native to Eurasia. The ancient Greek name for these plants was Sonchus. It is taprooted, has irregularly lobed leaves that clasp the stem, and yellow flowers of the ray type. The stem contains a milky latex. The plants were fed to lactating sows in the belief that their milk production would increase.