Medieval Plants: Magic Bed

As I posted yesterday, I'll be starting this column by examining the plants listed as being in the magic bed of the Bonnefont Herb Garden at the Cloisters Museum in New York City (part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art).  I've decided to tackle the list in order so I don't miss anything.

Here's the list:

Achillea millefolium                  Common yarrow

Aconitum napellus                     Aconite

Alchemilla vulgaris                   Lady’s mantle

Arum italicum                            Italian arum

Atropa belladonna                     Deadly nightshade

Bryonia dioica                           Red bryony

Carlina acaulis                          Stemless carline thistle

Carlina vulgaris                         Carline thistle

Catananche caerulea                 Cupid’s dart

Chrysanthemum coronarium     Crown daisy

Datura metel                              Horn of plenty, Downy thorn apple

Doronicum pardalianches         Great leopard’s bane

Dracunculus vulgaris                Dragon arum

Foeniculum vulgare                   Fennel

Geum urbanum                          Herb bennet

Glechoma hederacea                 Ground ivy

Hypericum perforatum              St. John’s wort

Leonurus cardiaca                    Motherwort

Mandragora autumnalis           Autumn mandrake

Mandragora officinarum          Mandrake

Paeonia officinalis                    Peony

Plantago lanceolata                  Ribgrass plantain

Plantago major                          Common plantain

Polygonum bistorta                   Bistort

Sempervivum tectorum              Houseleek

Solanum dulcamara                   Bittersweet

Stachys officinalis                      Betony

Verbena officinalis                    Vervain