Phytologie universelle, Ou Histoire Naturelle et méthodique des plantes, de leurs propriétés, de leurs vertus et de leur culture

First edition, rare.

Contemporary full blond calf bindings, mottled. Smooth spines decorated with urn tools and fillets. Red morocco lettering-pieces and green morocco volume labels, the latter additionally bearing the letters AB, NZ... Rich border of palmettes and frieze on the covers, with on the upper cover: Prix des Ecoles Académiques; and on the lower cover: Lille 1812. Rubbing. Some corners bumped. A handsome and highly decorative set.

Before the dictionary of plants, the prolegomena, extending over 248 pages, consist of various introductions, notably to Tournefort's classification system, the reproductive system of plants, the different orders, etc. Each plant, in addition to its scientific description, is accompanied by an article on its uses and the places where it is found. A French botanist who died in 1817, Jolyclerc was a professor of natural history, passionately devoted to his discipline, which he regarded as the foremost of all sciences, and he was the first translator of Linné, whom he revered.

NB: some copies were issued with 657 plates, though such examples appear to be exceedingly rare. One may be seen at the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris; the Bibliothèque Nationale possesses an identical copy to ours, as do most major libraries.