Author: TOURNEFORT, Joseph Pitton (Claude AUBRIET, illustrator).
Title: Elemens de botanique, ou methode pour connoître les plantes.Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1694. 8vo. With 3 engraved title pages, engraved royal arms on the title page, 2 engraved headpieces, 2 engraved initials and 451 engraved botanical plates.Early 19th-century red morocco.
Description: [1], [1 blank], [18], 562, [20] pp.First edition of a popular handbook with a new system for the classification of plants by genus, based on the structure of their flowers and fruit. The author Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708) was one of the first taxonomists of the 18th century. Before publishing any works, he started collecting specimens for his herbarium, which achieved great fame and is kept in the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris. It provided the basis for his first major work, Elemens de botanique, which went through many editions. Pages 448-514 of the present first edition deal with trees and forestry. The text volume is followed by two volumes with many engraved plates.Provenance: William Musgrave (1735-1800), 6th Baronet; Matthew Baillie (1761-1823); the honourable Willem de Reede Ginkel, 9th Earl of Athlone (1780-1844); bookplate of Joseph Lanjouw (1902-1984).l Arnold Arboretum II, p. 311; DSB XIII; Hunt 392; Nissen, BBI 1976; Plesch 438.

Keywords: [5091845FC46C] NATURAL HISTORY|[5091845FC46C] NATURAL HISTORY -> [11D56C178B0A] Botany (General)|