The Voynich Botanical Plants

Folio 33v, Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), is a small shrub about 18 inches in height, originally native to the Balkan mountains of Eastern Europe, and now grown throughout Europe. This Folio is the VM “sunflower,” however the modern sunflower lacks many of the characteristics of the VM drawing. Feverfew has many daisy-like flowers that consist of an outer white ray and a disc of yellowish florets about 1 inch across, held in a dense corymb, similar to the flower shown in Folio 33v. The leaves are lobed or deeply toothed but not whorled. The plant spreads rapidly and will cover a wide area after a few years. Feverfew has been used for centuries in European folk medicine as a remedy for fevers, headaches, stomachaches, and toothaches. It is currently considered for the treatment of arthritis and migraine headaches.