HERB - Beans and onions

[RAISYA@aol.com]

Alysoun,

Well, the version of the TACUINUM I've been looking at already has an entry
for chickpea, (is that another name for cowpea?) as well as broad beans and
the mystery "bean".   The text describes chick-peas as having "white, black
and red" varieties.  The mystery "bean" had varieties that were "white, red,
yellow, and flecked with various colors".  The plants in the illuminations of
these three different legumes are all significantly different.  A fourth
plant, vetchling, looks very much like a bean or pea, except it seems less
vine-like. I haven't identified this plant yet.

Also, I didn't think cowpeas were really climbers, and "fasiolo" (close to
"fasiolum") is translated as "climbing bean" in THE PLAN OF ST. GALL.
Unfortunately, although I've read of the dolichos or "lab-lab" bean, I've
never seen either the bean or the plant, so I don't know if it's more likely,
though it is described as a vine.  Definitely a fascinating puzzle, though
<G>.

The question of which alliums they meant is intriguing, and yes, it makes me
dizzy  too <G>.  I've never quite gotten straight exactly what a Welsh onion
is, I think some of the explanations I've seen have been contradictory.

Thanks again!

Raisya
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