Flora Graeca

Flora Graeca

Infobox Book
name = Flora Graeca
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Cover to the first edition
author = John Sibthorp, Smith
illustrator = Ferdinand Bauer, et al
cover_artist =
country = England
language =
series = 10 volumes
subject = A Flora
genre =
publisher =
pub_date = 1806 to 1840
english_pub_date =
media_type = Volumes with plates
pages =
isbn =
oclc =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Flora Graeca" was a publication of the plants of Greece in the late eighteenth century, resulting from a survey by John Sibthorp and Ferdinand Bauer. The botanical descriptions and illustrations were to become highly valued by the english audience, the finely crafted and illustrated work was of both scientific and horticultural interest.

Sibthorp met the botanical illustrator Bauer in Vienna, where he had made a voyage to study a copy of Dioscorides early botanical work. This was the first part of a journey, to identify medicinal plants used in Greece; Bauer was to join the expedition as the illustrator. They were to record and collect a large number of novel specimens, their publication introduced these to an english audience. From March 1786 to December 1787 they surveyed the plants and animals of the eastern mediterranean, Sibthorp collecting and describing, Bauer making dried specimens and producing colour coded sketches. Bauers work, including around a thousand intricate and annotated sketches, is now regarded as one of the finest examples of botanical illustration.

Sibthorp's volumes were to become a botanical publication, the intention to produce a herbal or medical volume was transformed into a scientific survey. An accompanying volume, "Fauna Graeca", and other planned works on the region, was not realised.

Sibthorp assembled the descriptions and plates, his death in 1796 included an endowment to see the book published. The task of preparing the works was undertaken by James Edward Smith, who issued the two volumes of the "Prodromus" in 1806 and 1813, and six volumes as "Flora Graeca Sibthorpiana" between 1806 and 1828. The seventh appeared in 1830, after Smith's death, and the remaining three were produced by John Lindley between 1833 and 1840.

Each volume contained hundred plates, except the last, and these were engraved By Sowerby. Only 30 copies of this set were issued, another 50 complete sets were reissued in 1845 by Bohn.The cost in 1830 was 620 pounds. The scarcity of the early first editions led to doubt of their existence, the rare book is at the higher end of trade. The inherent value has led the Oxford University Library to make available a digital scan of the complete set.

The publication was issued with tables and indices of the scientific name, the common name in Greek was in this concordance.It was during a period of increasing interest in horticulture and highly desired exotic species were described, many would become perennials of the english flower garden.

References

Further reading

External links

* [http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/isbes/taxonomic_collections/flora_graeca_in_the_21st_century Oxford's Flora Graeca] Complete series of printed volumes with illustrations produced by an Oxford University library project.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Flora (book) — Flora is a book or other work which describes the plant species occurring in an area or time period, with the aim of allowing identification. Some classic and modern floras are listed below.Traditionally floras are books, but some are now… …   Wikipedia

  • Flora — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Para otros usos de este término, véase Flora (desambiguación). Flora En botánica, flora se refiere al conjunto de las plantas que pueblan un país (y por extensión una península, continente, clima, una sierra, etc.),… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Flora — In botany, flora (plural: floras or florae) has two meanings. The first meaning, flora of an area or of time period , refers to all plant life occurring in an area or time period, especially the naturally occurring or indigenous plant life. The… …   Wikipedia

  • Periploca graeca — Silk Vine Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked) …   Wikipedia

  • Rana graeca — Griechischer Frosch Systematik Klasse: Lurche (Amphibia) Ordnung: Froschlurche (Anura) Überfamilie: Ranoidea …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Micromeria graeca —   Micromeria graeca …   Wikipedia Español

  • Periploca graeca — Périploque de Grèce …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Diodora graeca — Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • Onosma graeca — Systematik Kerneudikotyledonen Asteriden Euasteriden I Familie: Raublattgewächse (Boraginaceae) Gattung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Interpretatio graeca — is a Latin term for the common tendency of ancient Greek writers to equate foreign divinities to members of their own pantheon. Herodotus, for example, refers to the ancient Egyptian gods Amon, Osiris and Ptah as Zeus , Dionysus and Hephaestus ,… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”