De Historia Stirpium commentarii insignes

Lugduni: Balthazarem Arnolletum, 1549 A good copy of the very scarce second edition of Leonhart Fuchs' outstanding work on plants. Fuchs (1501-1566) was born in Germany and was a physician and botanist. This work was first published in 1542 in folio and was a huge advance on previous works, particularly in its use of woodcuts after drawings by Albrecht Meyer. The second edition is 16mo and the woodcuts were redone by Clement Bussy, who also produced a portrait of Fuchs which is printed on the verso of the title. This copy is in a later card binding with the title to the spine. The binding is sound but rubbed and worn. Page edges are red. Contents: title with printer's device; portrait; lectori 2pp; dedication 5pp; 3 index sections with latin, medical and french names 20pp; blank; text pp 1-852 with numerous woodcuts; appendix; finis. There should be a 6 leaf glossary of terms after the Finis, but this is lacking. The contents are lightly toned but very clean. The stitching is visible between the portrait and lectori section. A good to very good copy.