Originally posted by Rusty Neon
From among those links, which did you find especially useful for relating to the botanical features of the Marseilles pips?
Oh, I never studied the botanical features of the Marseilles pips, Rusty Neon. I used those links a few years ago, when was doing research for an academic project, and Tarot was still far away…
Some representations of flora in art are very symbolic, comprising a relatively short number of specimens, and with clearly assigned meanings. That would be the case of flowers such as the rose (or roses), poppy, violet, lily, cowslip, etc., plants like the plantain, several trees, fruits (the strawberry, the apple, the grape, the pomegranate), and – of course – grains and cereals. Then, art is also full of more obscure botanical depictions, not to mention the imaginary ones, and those we will never be able to identify. In some cases, it is clear that the particular depiction of a flower, plant or tree has no symbolic meaning by itself; its use is merely ornamental, or it is simply the general idea of a natural element that is implied.
If someone finds it possible to identify a certain plant, flower or fruit in the Marseilles pips, I would be glad to help with symbology.
Now, just for the fun of it, you can read this passage about Plantain, also called “way bread”, a somewhat despised plant today, but very important in medieval times, its brad leaves depicted everywhere in art (this is an except from a medieval Irish folk song): And you, Plantain, mother of herbs, open from the east, mighty inside. Over you chariots creaked, over you queens rode, over you brides cried out, over you bulls snorted. You withstood all of them, you dashed against them. May you likewise withstand poison and infection, and the loathsome serpent encircling the Middle Garth.
Silvia