The discussion of plants in religious iconography which followed a recent post (see the Featured Comment box at right) triggered some googling, which eventually led to Plant Image:
Plant Image is a searchable database of plant images, focusing on the Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae. Searches have been made from various sources including art (mosaics, paintings, and sculpture), illustrated manuscripts, and hand illustrated and printed herbals and books. We are concentrating our search on antiquity (Old and New World), medieval, and Renaissance sources but we intend to include more recent images as well. Bibliographic information on primary and secondary sources will be associated with each image and, in the case of herbals, associated text material will eventually be included. We hope to receive images and information from all persons interested in the Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae, so that the database will be a living, dynamic document.
An effort well worthy of support.