Medicinal plants, 17th century artwork. The three tropical plants shown here (from left to right) are a Cassia tree (a form of cinnamon said to relieve 'phlegm of the intestines'), Colocasia plant with an edible underground rhizome (the root soup is said to be 'an aphrodisiac'), and a Datura plant with its round fruit (this plant is said to be 'used by thieves as an anaesthetic'). At lower left is a Chinese date plant (jujube). All these plants are native to or cultivated in southern or south-eastern Asia. Artwork published in 1686.