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

A very good copy of Volume I only (of 3) of Hooker's seminal work in a poor binding

Complete with 79 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 15 orchids, as well as alstroemeria, trumpet pitcher, cactus, lily, canna, spurge, honeysuckle, begonia, osbeckia, and a dozen ferns and mosses. (Hooker would later specialize in orchids and ferns.)

Complete with all 79 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)

Original green cloth binding with spine missing and both boards detached. All plates in very good condition with vivid colour, a few with slight spotting, and some folding plates with offsetting. Dust darkening to top edge throughout. Bookplate of Wigan Public library on front endpaper, library blind stamp on recto and ink stamp on verso of title page. Sold as a candidate for rebinding.