The Voynich Manuscript/F2r

Transcription, comments, theories, links to do with VMs page f2r to be added here...

Description:

One plant centered on page.

Root: left-right symmetrical, planar, looking sort of like headless stick man with outstretched arms and gripping hands. Overpainted with dark color.

Stem: short and thin.

Branches: two main ones, almost upright, slightly bent. Irregular thickness, awkward shape (cf. top right leaf). Light-clored with a dark vein grossly painted along the middle.

Leaves: Dark overpaint, shaped like a triangular fan with five lanceolated fingers.

Stalk: medium length, looks like a branch.

Flowers: three, on tip of main branch.

Stalk: longish, looks like a branch.

Chalyx: an oblong oval swelling at end of stalk, partial dark overpaint.

Petals: many, narrow and long; the flower looks like a shaving brush.

Core: hidden by petals.

Two paragraphs (with 6.4 and 5.4 lines), left- and right-justified: one at the top, slightly narrower, interrupted by three flowers; and one near the bottom, interrupted by two branches.

Comments:

The root looks rather strange, the stems and leaves are somewhat awkward, but the flowers look normal.

Petersen tentative identification is "cyanus segetum, cornflower (caeruleus) (cf 153)". That must be

Centaurea_cyanus (cornflower,fiodaliso;bluet,kornblume)

http://www.runeberg.org/nordflor/7.html

The flower shape and branching pattern seem to match fairly well. However, those features are not very specific. [What about color?] Also, the leaves of Centaurea cyanus are long and thin, with smooth edges or a few very shallow teeth, attached directly to the stem; quite unlike those of f2r.

Infusions of Centaurea cyanus were once used as a febrifugue (whole plant) and eye wash (flowers only).

References:

[1] Claude Martin http://www.voynich.info/3_deciphered_text_selection/3_1_folio_f2r/3_1_1_f2r_line_p1.html