The Miscellaneous Botanical Works of Robert Brown. [Three volumes] by Brown, Robert (edited by John J. Bennett)

London: Robert Hardwicke for The Ray Society [1866 - 1868]. Three volumes. Volume I - octavo, pp viii, 612, top edge gilt, a little age-toned throughout, later green cloth in good condition, a duplicate from King's College Library with discard stamp on the title page and two earlier stamps of the London Institute, ( devoted to Geographico-Botanical and Structural & Physiological Memoirs]. Volume II - Octavo, pp viii, 786, a little used and marked internally, the first few pages slightly foxed, otherwise sound and tight, original cloth rubbed, faded and slightly worn [Systematic Memoirs and Contributions to Systematic Works]. Volume III - Atlas of Plates, folio, pp 15 + 38 fine litho plates (some folding), many by Ferdinand Bauer, slight foxing, some hinges cracked and weak, and one plate nearly detached, original cloth-backed boards, a little worn and marked. A heavy set - extra postage may be needed. RARE. [Robert Brown, 1773 -1858, was a Scottish botanist and paleobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope. His contributions include one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the cell nucleus and cytoplasmic streaming; the observation of Brownian motion; early work on plant pollination and fertilisation, including being the first to recognise the fundamental difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms; and some of the earliest studies in palynology. He also made numerous contributions to plant taxonomy, notably erecting a number of plant families that are still accepted today; and numerous Australian plant genera and species, the fruit of his exploration of that continent with Matthew Flinders. In 1800 Matthew Flinders put to Joseph Banks a proposal for an expedition that would answer the question whether New Holland was one island or several. Banks approved Flinders' proposal, and in December 1800 wrote to Brown offering him the position of naturalist to the expedition. Brown accepted immediately. Brown was told to expect to sail at the end of 1800, only a few weeks after being offered the position. A succession of delays meant the voyage did not get under way until July 1801. Brown spent much of the meantime preparing for the voyage by studying Banks' Australian plant specimens and copying out notes and descriptions for use on the voyage. Though Brown's brief was to collect scientific specimens of all sorts, he was told to give priority to plants, insects, and birds, and to treat other fields, such as geology, as secondary pursuits. Brown remained in Australia until May 1805. He then returned to Britain where he spent the next five years working on the material he had gathered. He published numerous species descriptions; in Western Australia alone he is the author of nearly 1200 species. The list of major Australian genera that he named includes: Livistona, Triodia, Eriachne, Caladenia, Isolepis, Prasophyllum, Pterostylis, Patersonia, Conostylis, Thysanotus, Pityrodia, Hemigenia, Lechenaultia, Eremophila, Logania, Dryandra, Isopogon, Grevillea, Petrophile, Telopea, Leptomeria, Jacksonia, Leucopogon, Stenopetalum, Ptilotus, Sclerolaena and Rhagodia.]. First Edition. Mixed bindings. Good.