The following is my ongoing research on plants used during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Most are still used today. I am the author of a historical fiction series featuring a young healer who combines medicinal plants with architecture. I am not a physician and I am not a “healer.” The plants and their uses listed on this website are for information purposes only. Please consult a physician, nutritionist, homeopath, or other qualified professional for treatment of various conditions and uses of plants.
This herbarium differs from other ones in that it includes the “magic” of plants. The term “magic” has always tended to refer to the unknown, but it often stemmed from actual benefits. In the early fifteenth century, people started asking themselves questions. They found logical explanations to what was previously called “magic.” Though the answers were thought to be scientifically plausible, they often were not. What mattered were the questions themselves. Intuition led to logic and ultimately benefited people. Jean Duchesne, the “good healer,” belongs to those who asked questions. The following are, above all, the plants he would have assembled in his herbarium. As I research history for my second novel, I will update this list. There is no particular order in the listing of plants. Enjoy!
Sources & Further Reading:
| Plant | "Magic" | Medical | Location | Description | Picture | |||||||
| Rue | Used to thwart Plague & other contagion. Remedy for all types of poison from toadstool to snake bites. | Terrible smell keeps insects away, but is used to treat insect bites. Dried leaves smell less because the oil is evaporated so it is used in cramps, as a calmative or sedative, to help increase the menstrual flow, & to cause abortion. | Native to Europe, but is now also in the U.S. | Evergreen shrub bears small yellow flowers & has obnoxious fragrance. | Click Here | |||||||
| Euphrasia | Cure for all diseases of the eye. Its name refers to its effect upon the spirit through its benefit to the sight. | Remedy for acute catarrhal inflammations of the nasal & ocular membranes, with profuse, water secretions or abundant flow of mucus, with heat, pain, burning, & sneezing. Effective for acute catarrhs extending to ears through the Eustachian tubes. Prevents early acute frontal sinusitis. | Europe & America. Many species found in Alpine or sub-alpine meadows where snow is common. | Flowers are zygomorphic & have a lower petal shaped like a lip. Purple, blue-white, & violet are the most common colors. | Click Here | |||||||
| Thyme | Source of courage. Placed below pillows to aid in sleep & ward off nightmares. Placed on coffins because thought to insure passage to the next life. Renews spirits of man & beast. Associated with activity. A bunch of wild Thyme with Origanum placed by the milking dairy, prevents its being spoiled by thunder. Spontaneous emotion. | Antiseptic. Used to medicate bandages. Useful against fungus that affects toenails. Active ingredient in natural hand sanitizers. used for cough & bronchitis by infusing herb in water. Boiled in water & cooled, is effective against throat inflammation. Reduces the viscosity of mucus, & is antimicrobial. Other infections & wounds can be dripped with thyme that has been boiled in water & cooled. | Spread from Egypt to Europe with Romans. Grows in hot sunny locations with good drainage & is planted in spring. It is a perennial. It is found wild on mountain highlands & can withstand deep freeze. | Leaves are curled, very small, & elliptically shaped. The upper leaves are green-gray in color on top, & whitish on underside. | Click Here | |||||||
| Poppy Seeds (Papave Somniferum) | Promotes wealth, fertility, invisibility. | Sedative, aids in sleeping, & fertility. Used as an anti-cancer. | Eastern Europe, France, Austria, Turkey, Netherlands. | Harvested from poppy pods. The oilseed is obtained from the opium poppy. | Click Here | |||||||
| Marsh Mallows | Mollifies intensity of heat. Ointment made of leaves of Marsh Mallow employed to anoint body of anyone affected by witchcraft. | The leaves & root are a laxative. When used as a pultice, it suppresses inflammation. Stimulates kidneys (tops of young tender leaves.) Used for irritation of alimentary, urinary, & respiratory canals & organs. Cures bruises, sprains or any muscle aches & sinews. For hemorrhage from urinary organs & for dysentery. Mix powdered root in boiled milk for coughs, bronchitis, whooping cough (also can be boiled in wine.) | Grows in salt marshes, damp meadows, but the side of ditches, by the sea & on the banks of tidal rivers. | The leaves, roots & flowers are used. The stem is 3 to f4 feet high with few lateral branches. Leaves are shortly petioled, roundish, ovate-cordate, 2 to 3 inches long & 1 1/4 inch broad. The plant is soft & velvety. | Click Here | |||||||
| Purslane (Portulace Oleracea) | When placed in an amulet, it expels all evil. | Treats bleeding of genito-urinary tract & dysentery. Applied topically, the fresh herb can relieve sores, insect bites, or snake bites. Eating it can reduce oral lichen planus. | North Africa, Middle East, India, Malesia, Australia. | Annual succulent, 40 cm in height. There are 40 varieties. The seeds are formed in tiny pods which open when seeds are ready. | Click Here | |||||||
| Nigella Sativa (Black Caraway, or Black Seeds) | The Prophet Muhammad said: "Take this al-Habbah al Sawda' (black seed) for verily in it is a cure for every disease except al-Sam (death.)" It is used to increase fertility & sexual desire in men. Use to normalize menstrual cycle in women. |
The seeds are used for inflammations, infection, & cancers. They reduce tumor sizes & slow their growths, while protecting against tissue damage from radiation. Diarrhea, asthma, hypertension are also treated with the seeds. The seeds also relieve symptoms of allergic reactions, but there are reported allergic dermatitis cases from topical use. Used for asthma, bronchitis, & rheumatism. Avicenna states that the seed stimulates the body's energy & helps recovery from fatigue & dispiritedness. |
India, Arabia. | Flowering plant. Pungent, bitter taste & smell. Sometimes reported to have a faint after-taste of strawberries. The flowers are delicate & are usually colored pale blue to white with 5 to 10 petals. The fruit is a large & inflated capsule composed of united follicles containing the seeds. | Click Here | |||||||
| Crocus (Saffron) | Useful in Plague & other pestilences. Excites amatory passions. | Used for stomachaches, eases pain of kidney stones, treats depression, improves blood circulation, & cures bruises. Enhances memory, & is an anti-oxidant & anti-cancer plant. | Greece, Morocco, Spain. Native to Southwest Asia. Needs strong light. | In spring the plant sends from 5 to 11 narrow vertical green leaves, about 40 cm in length. In autumn purple buds appear. The domesticated saffron can only reproduce with human assistance. In October the flower develops in light pastel to darker & striated mauve. A three-pronged style emerges, & each terminates with a vivid crimson stigma. | Click Here | |||||||
| Frankincense | Accepted as tribute in ancient times. Typified God because given as gift to baby Jesus by one of the Magi. It is agreeable to Gods. | Used for incense & perfumes. The resin is edible & used for digestion & healthy skin. Used for arthritis, healing wounds, strengthening female hormones, purifying the atmosphere. Burning it repels mosquitoes, thereby preventing mosquito born illnesses. | Grows in unforgiving environments, sometimes even on rocks. Native to the Arabian Peninsula & North Africa. | It is a resin obtained from the tree named Boswellia Sacra. | Click Here | |||||||
| Coriander | Powder is taken from the seeds & mixed with wine to stimulate passions. The juice of the leaves can kill by poison. It symbolizes hidden merit. | Aromatic stimulant used to mask foul medicines. It is beneficial to the nervous system. Used as a digestive stimulating the stomach & intestines. Alleviates headaches, swellings, conjunctivis, colic, rheumatism, neuralgia. Can be given to children under 2 for colic as a weak tea. Can prevent infection of wounds. Has anti-inflammatory effects. The oil may therefore help with arthritis pain. | Native to the Middle East & southern Europe, but can now be found in England, Russia, India, South America, North Africa, & Holland. The plant height averages 60 cm. It is bright green with slender stems. Small pink, pale blue or white flowers. Coriander prefers dry conditions. It is sown in spring for seeds, needing little maintenance. | Seed of a small plant almost spherical with many longitudinal ridges. It is brown, but can be green or off white. | Click Here | |||||||
| Melissa Officinalis | Leaves are steeped in wine & the wine drunk, along with leaves applied externally were considered to be a certain cure for the bites of venomous beasts & the stings of scorpions. | As a balsamic oil it makes an excellent surgical dressing because it starves out the atomic germs of a disease, leaving them with very little oxygen. As it dries it effectively seals the wound. | Europe, Middle Asia, North America. It blooms from June to October & dies in winter. It is perennial & grows freely in any soil. | The root-stock is short, the stem square & branching, growing 1 to 2 feet high. It has at each joint pairs of ovate crenated or toothed leaves which emit a lemon odor when bruised. Tastes like lemon. The flowers are in small bunches and are white or yellowish. | Click Here | |||||||
| Marjoram | It is incorporated into charms & spells to draw love & fertility. Keeps a married couple happily together. | Treats anxiety/Panic, colds. Used for heart tonics/cordials, hypertension, HBP, IBS, insomnia, neuralgia. Flowering tops are used. | Mediterranean region. | Perennial in mint family. Sweet or knotted marjoram is a small shrub with reddish stems & hairy, oval grayish leaves with clusters of pink, white or mauve. | Click Here | |||||||
| Fennel | Restores eyesight, particularly in snakes when they shed their skin. | Used as a wash for eyestrain & irritations, snake bite remedy. Carminative, weak diuretic, & mild stimulant. Allays hunger, but if used in high doses it causes hallucinations & muscular spasms. Pain & fever reducer, & has anti-microbial properties. It disperses flatulance. The seeds & roots help open the liver, spleen. Treats gallbladder obstructions. Fennel helps yellow jaundice, the gout & occasional cramps. | Native to the Mediterranean, but spread to Europe, India, the Orient, Australia, South America, & the U.S. | The seeds are 4 to 8 mm long, thin & curved with color varying from brown to light green. The plant is a perennial related to parsley, reaching heights of 5 to 8 feet & resembling dill. | Click Here | |||||||
| Bugloss | Because its seed has the shape of a serpent's head, it is believed it cures Viper bites & drives snakes away. Good for healing wounds caused by viper bites. | Infusion of leaves alleviate fevers, headaches, nervous complaints, relieve pains associated with inflammation. | Grows on walls, old quarries, gravel pits & calcerous soils. | Showy plant covered with prickly hairs. Grows to 2 or 3 feet high, leaves are also prickly & are 4 to 5 inches long. The flowers are numerous & are in the shape of curved spikes. Bright rose colored on first opening then turn to brilliant blue. | Click Here | |||||||
| Cichorium Intybus | Enables a lover to inspire the object of his affections with the belief that he/she possesses all the qualities the other could possibly wish for. Renders owner invisible, removes thorns from flesh, & breaks all bonds. | Root chicory eliminates intestinal worms. Treats toxic to internal parasites, sinus problems, cuts & bruises. | Europe | There are two forms: Narrow & broad-leafed. The outside leaf is green & bitter, while the inside leaf is light green to creamy-white & is milder in flavor. It is a bushy perennial herbaceous with blue, lavender, or white flowers. | Click Here | |||||||
| Violet | The violets represent modesty. They prevent headache & dizziness. The "Viola Canina" is contemptuously named so because it is scentless. The "Dame's Violet," also called the "Viola Damascena" gets its name because ladies in Germany used to keep them in pots in their houses for evening fragrance. | Antioxidant. Source of vitamin A & C. It is used as an herbal tea. They temporarily desensitize the nose, preventing further scent being detected from the same flower until the nerves recover. | Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. | There are 400 to 500 species around the world. Most viola are tiny perennial plants, some are annual, & some are shrubs. They all have stout stems with typically heart-shaped, scalloped leaves. Colors range from violet, to blues, yellow, white, & cream. They bloom in spring. | Click Here | |||||||
| Cuscuta Epithymum | Symbolizes "meanness." It is often compared to ladies' laces. Also called "Devil's guts," because stems resemble cat-guts. Associated with mischievous tendencies of cats. | Westerner use the stem boiled in water mixed with Ginger. Treats the liver, spleen, & gallbladder disorders such as jaundice. Mild laxative. Can be used to treat sciatica & scurvy. Mild diuretic. Externally it can be gathered fresh & applied to the skin to tread scrofuladerma. | Everywhere | A parasitic plant that uses the nutrients of other plants to grow, weakening these plants. It is a leafless plant with branching stems ranging in thickness. It lives its entire life without attachment to the ground. | Click Here | |||||||
| Polypody (Polypodium Vulgare) | Often found clinging to oak trees, & is thus believed to absorb the vigor of that tree. Anyone who carries the plant becomes invisible. | Roots are much sweeter than sugar. It is a laxative & a purgative. Treats coughs, chest complaints. Dried powder taken internally expels tapeworms. Used as liniment for external use. Treats hepatitis, jaundice, ingestion, loss of apetite, constipation. It is an expectorant & it also treats bronchitis, pleurisy. The root is used. | Native to Europe & Northern Asia. Grows in damp woodlands & walls. | It is a delicate perennial fern growing to a height of about one foot. Composed of slender knotty rhizomes & curving fronds dotted with brown spores on their lower surface. | Click Here | |||||||
| Senna | When placed under the skin of newly flayed animals, it breathes worms that devour the pith & marrow, making bones hollow. | Acts on lower bowel as a laxative. Used to treat constipation. Most often prepared as an infusion. It is anti-inflammatory & reduces appetite. | Native to tropics with a small number of species reaching temperate regions. | Shrubs or subshrubs. Some are herbs & some are small trees. The flowers produce no nectar. Petals are yellow, rarely white, & 5 in number. | Click Here | |||||||
| Cinnamon | Gathered from nest of Phoenix. | Treats appetite loss, bronchitis, colds, fevers, indigestion, sore throat, tendencies to infections, diarrhea, some cancerous tumors, heart problems, urinary problems. Cinnamon oil can kill certain fungi, bacteria, & micro-organisms that cause botulism & staph infection. The tea can be a digestive aid. Do not use while breast feeding. | Prefers very well drained soil with proper nutruents. Native to Est Indies. | It is harvested by growing the tree for two years, then coppicing it. In the following year a dozen shoots will form from the root. The outer bark is scraped and the branch is evenly beaten with a hammer to loosen the inner bark. Only the thin inner bark is used. | Click Here | |||||||
| Nutmeg | Overcomes birds of Paradise & makes them helplessly fall intoxicated. To dream of nutmeg means that many impending changes are coming. | Reduces flatulance. Aids in digestion, improves appetite, treats diarrhea, vomiting, & nausea in small dosages. However, if taken excessively it can cause hallucinations, vomiting, epileptic symptoms, & even death. | Native to Moluccas & the West Indies, but can be found off the coast of Madagascar, the Caribbean. | Nutmeg is the seed kernel inside the fruit & mace is the lacy covering on the kernel. The nutmeg tree is a large evergreen tree. Oval shaped seeds are encased in a mottled yellow, edible fruit, the size of a peach. | Click Here | |||||||
| Borage | Makes men/women merry & joyful. | Stress. Tea helps reduce fevers & ease chest colds. | Native to Northern Europe. The richer the soil, the bushier the plant will be. | Bright blue star-shaped flowers. Grows to about 18in and spreads about 12in. | Click Here | |||||||
| Maidenhair | Because it remains dry when taken out of water, it is attributed to Venus' hair. Grows abundant black & fair hair. Produces grace & love. Indicates recovery from an illness. Symbolizes secrecy & inspires love. | Benefits circulatory system. Helps in short-term memory loss, headache, ringing in the ears, & depression by improving blood flow in the arteries & capillaries. Great for the elderly. | Comes from the Gingko Biloba tree that does not exist in the wild. | The female tree produces stinky sippery fruits. Maidenhair is the leaf extract. | Click Here |
