Media Medica Apothecaria
Cover of Media Medica Apothecaria: maroon leather with the title stamped in gold

By Fredrick Watts

Media Medica
Apothecaria

A 462-page illustrated study reference of 110 plants, with cautions first and named sources for every entry.

PDF download · 462 pages · 110 plant monographs · 11 cohorts

Buy the PDF — $29

For study and reference only. This book is not medical advice, not a prescription, and not peer-reviewed.

About the Book

Cautions belong at the front of a plant entry, so that is where they are.

Media Medica Apothecaria is a 462-page illustrated PDF built as a working study reference for growers, herbalists, and anyone learning plants seriously. Each of its 110 plant monographs begins with contraindications and cautions, then moves through common lookalikes where known, parts used, and preparation notes, all paired with a botanical illustration.

Nothing here asks you to take it on faith. Every entry names its references: European Medicines Agency herbal monographs, WHO monographs, PubMed papers, and standard herbal texts. The cautions were checked against those same sources, so you can follow any point back to where it came from.

The plants are grouped into 11 body-system cohorts, and the table of contents lists every herb under its cohort, so it works as well for a quick look-up as it does for slow, cover-to-cover study.

What’s Inside

  • 110 plant monographs, each with its own botanical illustration
  • Contraindications and cautions placed first in every entry
  • Common lookalikes where known, plus parts used and preparation notes
  • Named references for each plant: EMA herbal monographs, WHO monographs, PubMed papers, and standard herbal texts
  • Front matter defining preparation types (tea, infusion, decoction, tincture, poultice, salve, and others), without recipes
  • Appendix A and Appendix B on general safety
  • A table of contents listing every herb under its cohort

The Eleven Cohorts

  1. Skin, Wound, and Tissue Repair
  2. Respiratory and Acute Airway
  3. Digestive Function
  4. Nervous System, Stress, and Cognition
  5. Endocrine Health
  6. Cardiovascular and Circulatory Health
  7. Cardiovascular System
  8. Urinary
  9. Women’s Reproductive
  10. Men’s Reproductive
  11. Musculoskeletal and Inflammation

Inside the Book

Three pages from the book, shown as they appear in the PDF. Select a page to view it larger.

Opening page of Cohort 9, Women's Reproductive Health
Cohort 9: Women’s Reproductive Health
Book page with a botanical plate of Calendula officinalis
Plate: Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Book page with a botanical plate of Marshmallow Root, Althaea officinalis
Plate: Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis)
Fredrick Watts

About the Author

Fredrick Watts served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2007 to 2015. After his service, he studied at Arkansas Tech University in art and fisheries and wildlife science with a special interest in botany. Media Medica Apothecaria grew out of his lifelong fascination with plants and the years he spent studying them. He put it together as a study reference of 110 plants for himself, and decided to share it with the world. He formulated this book so that you would read it slowly, check against the sources, and keep it nearby for study.

Plants can be dangerous. Treat them with respect.

Grow & Study

Seeds, plants, and tools for growing a few of the plants covered in the book. Page numbers refer to the start of each monograph, where the cautions are.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Seeds

Botanical plate of Calendula from the book

Calendula Seeds

Calendula officinalis

A hardy annual with orange and yellow flower heads, easy to start from seed in spring.

Cohort 1 · Monograph p. 20

Link coming soon
Botanical plate of Chamomile from the book

German Chamomile Seeds

Matricaria chamomilla

Small daisy-like flowers over fine, feathery leaves. Sow on the surface; the seed needs light to sprout.

Cohort 3 · Monograph p. 102

Link coming soon
Botanical plate of Yarrow from the book

Yarrow Seeds

Achillea millefolium

A tough perennial with flat white flower clusters and finely divided leaves.

Cohort 1 · Monograph p. 49

Link coming soon

Plants

Botanical plate of Lemon Balm from the book

Lemon Balm Plant

Melissa officinalis

A lemon-scented perennial in the mint family. It spreads, so a pot or a contained bed suits it.

Cohort 4 · Monograph p. 154

Link coming soon
Botanical plate of Thyme from the book

Common Thyme Plant

Thymus vulgaris

A small, woody perennial for sunny, well-drained ground or a clay pot.

Cohort 2 · Monograph p. 90

Link coming soon
Botanical plate of Elder from the book

Elder Shrub

Sambucus nigra

A large shrub with cream flower clusters in early summer and dark berries later. Raw berries, bark, leaves, and seeds are toxic; read the cautions first.

Cohort 2 · Monograph p. 62

Link coming soon

Garden Tools

Hori-Hori Digging Knife

For roots

A Japanese digging knife with a serrated edge, for lifting taproots such as Burdock and Dandelion.

Burdock Root p. 98 · Dandelion Root p. 106

Link coming soon

Pruning Snips

For flowers and sprigs

Fine-tipped snips for clean cuts on Calendula heads, Thyme sprigs, and Lemon Balm stems.

Calendula p. 20 · Thyme p. 90 · Lemon Balm p. 154

Link coming soon

Hanging Herb Drying Rack

For drying

A tiered mesh rack for air-drying Chamomile flowers and Lemon Balm leaves out of direct sun.

Chamomile p. 102 · Lemon Balm p. 154

Link coming soon
Buy the PDF — $29