Mandragora mandrake classification help

[melsplants]

Hi everyone

I would like some help in understanding this classification .I have trawled the internet for information and they all seemed as confused as me I thought I knew what I was talking about but as usual I didn’t

I copied this from the mystic mandrake, the author was C J S Thompson curator of the royal college of surgeon’s .So in theory he should know what he is talking about .To me the description is unclear

The mandrake or rather the correct botanical name of Mandragora officinarum Linn (variety vernalis Bertolini).is of the order solanacae, which includes several poisonous plants such as the deadly nightshade

The Linnaean plant is distinguished as by the name of officinarum only .The true mandrake is therefore Mandragora officinarum of Linnaeus and the Mandragora Vernalis of Bertolini .

Then he goes on to talk separately about Autumnalis

Is he saying that Mandragora officinarum Linnaeus. and Mandragora vernalis of Bertolini are the same plant .The spring flowering mandrake .

Any help would be much appreciated

Kind Regards

Mel

[apothecary]

Is he saying that Mandragora officinarum Linnaeus. and Mandragora vernalis of Bertolini are the same plant

Yes.

EDIT: FYI, vernalis means "Of the Spring" in Latin.

Edited March 9, 2008 by Sina

[melsplants]

Yes.

EDIT: FYI, vernalis means "Of the Spring" in Latin.

Thanks for your reply sina it is what I thought I just wanted to confirm it .

Also these names appear after the plant names .Linnaeus. and Bertolini are these the first to have identified the plant

Regards

Mel