LOWE, Edward Joseph (1825-1900) and W. HOWARD

Beautiful Leaved Plants; being a description of the most beautiful leaved plants in cultivation in this country; to which is added an extended catalogue. With sixty coloured illustrations.

London: Groombridge and Sons, 1861. 8vo. (9 7/8 x 6 1/8 inches). [vi], ii, 144 pp., 60 chromolithographed plates.

First Edition. Publisher's original purple cloth with gilt illustration of plant on front cover, gilt decroation and lettered spine

A striking work of Victorian book illustration and a key document in the history of ornamental horticulture.

First edition of this Victorian botanical work, beautifully illustrated with chromolithographic plates of vividly coloured foliage plants then fashionable in conservatories and ornamental gardening. Edward Joseph Lowe, a noted botanist and meteorologist, compiled this volume with the assistance of W. Howard, focusing not on flowering species, but on plants cultivated for the striking beauty of their leaves. Species represented include Caladiums, Marantas, Begonia, and others admired for their variegation, patterning, and colouration. Each plate is accompanied by detailed descriptions of the plant's origin, cultivation, and aesthetic appeal. The chromolithographs, executed with remarkable precision and colour fidelity, epitomize the 19th century's fascination with exotic botany and domestic display. The work concludes with an extended catalogue listing over 200 additional ornamental-leaved species known to be cultivated in Britain at the time.

Nissen BBI 1247.

Item #42233

Price: $700.00