Exotic Flora, Vol. I and II de Sir William Jackson Hooker - 1823-25: Containing Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare or Otherwise Interesting Exotic Plants

A very good copy of Volumes I and 2 (of 3) of Hooker's seminal work

Complete with 163 fine hand-coloured engraved plates after drawings by William Jackson Hooker, Robert Kaye Greville, Lansdown Guilding, John Lindley, and Archibald Menzies, all engraved by J. Swan.

With over 30 orchids, as well as alstroemeria, banksia, trumpet pitcher, shaving brush tree, cactus, lily, canna, spurge, honeysuckle, begonia, osbeckia, and a dozen ferns and mosses. (Hooker would later specialize in orchids and ferns.)

Complete with all 163 plates, many folding, most with tissue guards.

First and only edition of one of Hooker's rarest and most beautifully illustrated works, including many specimens from Australia, the Americas and the West Indies.

"The Exotic Flora of Dr Hooker is like that of all the Botanical publications of this indefatigable author, excellent; and it assumes an appearance of finish and perfection to which neither the Botanical Magazine nor Botanical Register can externally lay claim." Loudon

"This important work reflects the extent of active plant introduction into Great Britain, and Hooker's part in it. Many of the plates represent new species, the notes give interesting details, often including the history of the introduction of the plants" (Willem Daniel Margadant)

"Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) was one of the great botanists, professor at Glasgow University and later appointed director of Kew in 1841. This beautifully illustrated work is certainly his most important, a detailed botanical study in the tradition of similar works by Sir James Edward Smith, notably the Exotic Botany of 1804-1805. (Hordern House Rare Books, NSW, Australia)

Half leather bindings, spine with five raised bands and gilt title, marble boards rubbed, hinge starting to split at top and bottom of front board on volume 2. All plates in very good condition with vivid colour, slight dust on top edge of pages.