Author: Happe, A.
Title: Botanica Pharmaceutica exhibens plantas officinalis quarum nomina indispensatoris recentur, cum Iconibus… Plate 76. Solanum dulcamara. [Bittersweet].
Description: Berolini (Berlin), 1788. Folio-size (35.8 x 22.2 cm) delicately hand-coloured loose lithograph of plants with printed caption. = The Pharmaceutica is a very rare work; it is seldom found complete and even individual plates of plants are rare. This plant has many common names: bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, bitter nightshade, blue bindweed, Amara Dulcis, climbing nightshade, fellenwort, felonwood, poisonberry, poisonflower, scarlet berry, snakeberry, trailing bittersweet, trailing nightshade, violet bloom, and woody nightshade. Solanum dulcamara has been valued by herbalists since ancient Greek times. In the Middle Ages the plant was thought to be effective against witchcraft, and was sometimes hung around the neck of cattle to protect them from the "evil eye" (Wikipedia). This plate is in very good condition. A weak,diagonal fold in the lower left, otherwise clean: no spotting, creases, dents, tears or chips present. The colouring is precise and accurate. Nissen BBI, 784. Stafleu and Cowan (under 2834) "Not seen".

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