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Images

  • A climbing plant, possibly in the Cucurbitaceae family: flowering stem. Watercolour.
  • Cucurbita pepo L., Cucurbitaceae. Distribution: Mexico (extinct) This species is one of the oldest cultivated plants, first grown 11,000 years ago in Mexico, but extinct in the wild. Varieties are selectively bred for their taste, colour and shape. The seeds, ground to a powder are used to kill intestinal tape-worms (Lewis & Elvin-Lewis, 2003). This is a 200-year-old cultivar whose seed has been conserved by the Amish of Pennsylvania, USA. The rind is very thick, but the taste is delicious. This is a 200-year-old cultivar whose seed has been conserved by the Amish of Pennsylvania, USA. The rind is very thick, but the taste is delicious. Seeds approved for use in making herbal medicines in the UK (Herbal Medicine legislation 2013) Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • A plant, possibly a melon (Cucumis melo): flowering and fruiting stem with segments of the fruit. Watercolour.
  • A plant (Sicyos sp.) related to bur cucumber: flowering and fruiting stem with separate fruit and seed. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1772.
  • White bryony (Bryonia dioica): flowering plant. Woodcut.
  • White bryony (Bryonia dioica Jacq.): fruiting stem and separate flower and a description of the plant and its uses. Coloured line engraving by C.H.Hemerich, c.1759, after T.Sheldrake.
  • A plant, possibly balsam apple (Momordica balsamina): fruiting stem. Watercolour by Depaoli.
  • Balsam apple (Momordica balsamina L.): flowering and fruiting twining stem with separate fruit showing enclosed seeds. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1772.
  • Four poisonous plants: fool's parsley (Aethusa cynapium), cuckoo pint (Arum maculatum), white bryony (Bryonia dioica) and greater celandine (Chelidonium majus). Coloured engraving by J. Johnstone, 1855.
  • Plates of a cleft fossil, melons of stone and the ruined church of St. Iuan d'Akari. Line engraving after C. de Bruins, c.1704.