Onomasticon of Occult Herbs

The great procession of common plant names, as known and transmitted by humans, forms a unique body of lore passed down through time. In religion, magic and myth, these names often serve a greater function than mere verbal signifiers; they operate at transcendent levels of spirit. A plant name may speak of its healing power, its legends, or its associations with gods or spirits. It may warn of potentially hazardous properties such as poison or irritation, or may signal its pleasant aspects such as flavor or scent. These names also speak profoundly of the plant’s steward culture, in which traditional interactions with it are embedded.

Onomasticon of Occult Herbs is the first major work by Daniel A. Schulke since 2022's The Green Mysteries. It is a cross-cultural lexicon of more than 5,000 plant names, with a special focus on those herbs used in spiritual, ceremonial and occult practice. The work is 304 pages, and features 32 original illustrations by Benjamin A. Vierling, all new and especially prepared for this volume.

In addition to selected annotations on the names and information on linguistic sources, the book also contains the introductory essay "A Green Cipher", which examines the powers behind the names and some of the occult functions of plant nomenclature. A 'by-species' cross reference is included, as well as sections treating names expressing kindred themes. More than a useful reference work, the book additionally serves to convey plant lore of species rare or obscure to Western Herbalism, illuminated by the original imagery of one of esoterica's premier artists.

At this time, we are accepting pre-orders for Onomasticon, with the following editions available:

Softcover edition:
$32.95

Standard Hardcover edition:
Full gilt cloth over boards with color dust jacket, limited to 1,200 hand numbered copies.
$70.00

Deluxe edition:
Full slate green goatskin, marbled endpapers, and slipcase, limited to 44 copies.
$485.00, limit one per customer.