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  • A plant of the Boraginaceae family: flowering stem. Watercolour.
  • A plant, possibly of the Boraginaceae family: flowering stem with separate flowers. Watercolour.
  • Five plants, including a grass, a sedge and a plant of the Boraginaceae family. Colour nature print by A. Auer, c. 1853.
  • Borago officinalis L. Boraginaceae. Borage. officinalis indicates it was used in the 'offices' - the consulting clinics - of medieval monks. Distribution: Europe. Culpeper: “... comforts the heart, cheers the spirit, drives away sadness and melancholy, they are rather laxative than binding
  • Allium schoenoprasum L. Alliaceae. Chives. Bulbour perennial herb. 'schoenoprasm' means 'rush leek' in Greek, referring to the narrow leaves. Distribution: Asia, Europe and North America. Leaves used as a garnish on cooked food and in salads. However like others in Boraginaceae it contains the pyrrolizidine alkaloid cynoglossine which causes liver damage. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Cynoglossum officinale L. Boraginaceae. Houndstongue. Distribution: Europe. Culpeper (1650) writes: “... being roasted and laid to the fundament, helps the haemorrhoids. It is also good against burnings and scaldings.” It contains hepatocarcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids and while people are known to eat the young leaves as a vegetable, this is inadvisable. The whole plant is hairy and may cause contact dermatitis. The use of herbal remedies, which contain these alkaloids, by the Bantu of southern Africa correlates with their high incidence of tumours of the liver and pancreas. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Pulmonaria officinalis L. Boraginaceae Distribution: Officinalis indicates its medicinal use in early medicine. Europe. Pulmonaria or Lungwort are names for a lichen and a perennial plant in the Boraginaceae. This is the latter. Lyte (1578) has a woodcut of our plant and also calls it Sage of Jerusalem and says it is of ' no particular use in physicke, but is much used in meates and salads with eggs, as is also Cowslippes and Primroses, whereunto in temperature it is much alike.' He lists and describes the lichen separately. Culpeper (1650) said he found many sorts of lunguewort in perusing Authors ' Pulmonari, arborea and Symphytum maculosum [and the latter is our plant, the others the lichen] and that they 'helpe infirmities of the lungues, as hoarseness, coughs, wheezing, shortnesse of breath etc.' Coles (1657) who espouses the Doctrine of Signatures in a way unrivalled by any other English author, might have been expected to confirm the concept that the mottled leaves looked like the cut surface of a lung which indicates their purpose, but he only mentions the lungwort which is a lichen. However, Porta's beautiful book on the Doctrine, Phytognomica (1588), is clear that the plant called Pulmonaria with hairy leaves like a bugloss, spotted white with purple flowers, commonly called 'cynoglossa' [with a woodcut which could be Pulmonaria officinalis] indicate its use for ulcerated lungs, spitting blood, shortness of breath and asthma equally with the lichen with the same name. Lobel & Pena (1570) call it 'PULMONARIA, masculosa folia Borrago, floribus Primula veris, purpureis [PULMONARIA spotted, Borage-leaved, flowers like Primula veris - Cowslips - purple]' and say that women mix the leaves with a little broth and make it into an omelette for lung disorders and to strengthen the heart. Lobel (1576) calls it Maculosa Pulmonaria and describes a white flowered form with a good woodcut. Gerard (1633) uses the same woodcut as Lobel and calls it Pulmonatia foliis Echii, Buglosse Cowslips with red flowers, and a woodcut of a narrow leaved plant as Pulmonaria masculosa, Spotted Cowslips of Jerusalem with red, blue and purple flowers and says 'the leaves are used among pot-herbes. The roots are aso thought to be good against the infirmities of ulcers of the lungs...'. Quincy (1718) writes: '... it has a glutinous juice ... and heals ulcers and erosions. It is commended in coughs and spitting of blood but is little used either in the Shop or Prescriptions. Not used in modern medicine. It is in the family Boraginaceae whose species are often rich in pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause liver toxicity and liver cancers, but levels in Pulmonaria officinalis may not be significant. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Pulmonaria officinalis L. Boraginaceae Distribution: Europe. Pulmonaria or Lungwort are names for a lichen and a perennial plant in the Boraginaceae. This is the latter. Lyte (1578) has a woodcut of our plant and also calls it Sage of Jerusalem and says it is of 'no particular use in physicke, but is much used in meates and salads with eggs, as is also Cowslippes and Primroses, whereunto in temperature it is much alike.' He lists and describes the lichen separately. Culpeper (1650) said he found many sorts of lunguewort in perusing Authors ' Pulmonari, arborea and Symphytum maculosum [and the latter is our plant, the others the lichen] and that they 'helpe infirmities of the lungues, as hoarseness, coughs, wheezing, shortnesse of breath etc.' Coles (1657) who espouses the Doctrine of Signatures in a way unrivalled by any other English author, might have been expected to confirm the concept that the mottled leaves looked like the cut surface of a lung which indicates their purpose, but he only mentions the lungwort which is a lichen. However, Porta's beautiful book on the Doctrine, Phytognomica (1588), is clear that the plant called Pulmonaria with hairy leaves like a bugloss, spotted white with purple flowers, commonly called 'cynoglossa' [with a woodcut which could be Pulmonaria officinalis] indicate its use for ulcerated lungs, spitting blood, shortness of breath and asthma equally with the lichen with the same name. Lobel & Pena (1570) call it 'PULMONARIA, masculosa folia Borrago. floribus Primula veris, purpureis [PULMONARIA spotted, Borage-leaved, flowers like Primula veris - Cowslips - purple]' and say that women mix the leaves with a little broth and make it into an omelette for lung disorders and to strengthen the heart.. Lobel (1576) calls it Maculosa Pulmonaria and describes a white flowered form with a good woodcut. Gerard (1633) uses the same woodcut as Lobel and calls it Pulmonatia foliis Echii, Buglosse Cowslips with red flowers, and a woodcut of a narrow leaved plant as Pulmonaria masculosa, Spotted Cowslips of Jerusalem with red, blue and purple flowers and says 'the leaves are used among pot-herbes. The roots are aso thought to be good against the infirmities of ulcers of the lungs...'. Quincy (1718) writes: '... it has a glutinous juice ... and heals ulcers and erosions. It is commended in coughs and spitting of blood but is little used either in the Shop or Prescriptions'. Not used in modern medicine. It is in the family Boraginaceae whose species are often rich in pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause liver toxicity and liver cancers, but levels in Pulmonaria officinalis may not be significant. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Pulmonaria rubra L. Boraginaceae A red-flowered species, mentioned in 16th and 17th herbals, but with the same properties as officinalis. Distribution: Europe. Pulmonaria or Lungwort are names for a lichen and a perennial plant in the Boraginaceae. This is the latter. Lyte (1578) has a woodcut of our plant and also calls it Sage of Jerusalem and says it is of 'no particular use in physicke, but is much used in meates and salads with eggs, as is also Cowslippes and Primroses, whereunto in temperature it is much alike.' He lists and describes the lichen separately. Culpeper (1650) said he found many sorts of lunguewort in perusing Authors 'Pulmonari, arborea and Symphytum maculosum [and the latter is our plant, the others the lichen] and that they 'helpe infirmities of the lungues, as hoarseness, coughs, wheezing, shortnesse of breath etc.' Coles (1657) who espouses the Doctrine of Signatures in a way unrivalled by any other English author, might have been expected to confirm the concept that the mottled leaves looked like the cut surface of a lung which indicates their purpose, but he only mentions the lungwort which is a lichen. However, Porta's beautiful book on the Doctrine, Phytognomica (1588), is clear that the plant called pulmonaria with hairy leaves like a bugloss, spotted white with purple flowers, commonly called 'cynoglossa' [with a woodcut which could be Pulmonaria officinalis] indicate its use for ulcerated lungs, spitting blood, shortness of breath and asthma equally with the lichen with the same name. Lobel & Pena (1570) call it 'PULMONARIA, masculosa folia Borrago. floribus Primula veris, purpureis[ PULMONARIA spotted, Borage-leaved, flowers like Primula veris - Cowslips - purple] and say that women mix the leaves with a little broth and make it into an omelette for lung disorders and to strengthen the heart. Lobel (1576) calls it Maculosa Pulmonaria and describes a white flowered form, with a good woodcut. Gerard (1633) uses the same woodcut as Lobel and calls it Pulmonatia foliis Echii, Buglosse Cowslips with red flowers, and a woodcut of a narrow leaved plant as Pulmonaria masculosa, Spotted Cowslips of Jerusalem with red, blue and purple flowers and says 'the leaves are used among pot-herbes. The roots are aso thought to be good against the infirmities of ulcers of the lungs...'. Quincy (1718) writes: '... it has a glutinous juice ... and heals ulcers and erosions. It is commended in coughs and spitting of blood but is little used either in the Shop or Prescriptions. Not used in modern medicine. It is in the family Boraginaceae whose species are often rich in pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause liver toxicity and liver cancers, but levels in Pulmonaria officinalis may not be significant. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • A species of Ehretia: large flowering stem with separate leaf, fruit and flowers. Watercolour, 17--.
  • Honeywort (Cerinthe major): flowering stem. Colour and coloured mezzotint, c. 1741.
  • Heliotrope (Heliotropium): flowering plant with separate flowers. Etching, c. 1718, after C. Aubriet.
  • A heliotrope (Heliotropium minus): entire flowering plant. Woodcut.
  • Comfrey (Symphytum asperrimum): entire flowering plant. Coloured etching by C. Pierre, c. 1865, after P. Naudin.
  • Madwort (Asperugo procumbens L.): flowering and fruiting stem arising from earth mound with separate sectioned flower and fruit with seeds. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • A plant (Echium orientale): flowering stem and floral segments. Etching, c. 1718, after C. Aubriet.
  • Onosma arenaria: entire flowering plant and seed. Coloured etching after J. Schütz, c.1802.
  • Comfrey (Symphytum sp.): entire flowering plant with separate floral sections. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Nine flowering plants, one possibly a phlox and one a green brier. Watercolour, c. 1870.
  • A plant (Cerinthe retorta Sibth. & Sm.): flowering plant with separate fruit and flower section. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1772.
  • Bugloss (a species of the genus Anchusa L.): flowering stem and separate leaves arising from earth mound. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • A species of the genus Omphalodes: entire flowering plant with separate fruit and seed. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • A species of Echium: flowering stem with separate floral sections. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • A plant (Borago sp.) related to borage: flowering and fruiting stem with separate floral sections. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Comfrey (Symphytum tuberosum L.): entire flowering plant with separate floral sections. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Alkanet (Anchusa tinctoria L.): flowering stem with separate leaf and floral segments and description of the plant and its medicinal uses. Coloured line engraving by C. H. Hemerich, c. 1759, after T. Sheldrake.
  • Gromwell (Lithospermum sp.): fruiting stem with separate fruit and seed. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis L.): flowering plant with separate floral sections. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale L.): entire flowering plant with separate flower, fruit and seeds. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.
  • Heliotrope (Heliotropium sp.): entire flowering plant. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.