Scottish Cryptogamic Flora, or Coloured Figures and Descriptions of Cryptogamic Plants belonging chiefly to the Order Fungi; and Intended to Serve as a Continuation of English Botany

Edinburgh and London: Maclachlan & Stewart; Bladwin, Cradock & Joy, 1823 A very good copy in 6 volumes dating from 1823-1828, with 360 hand coloured plates. Robert Kaye Greville, 1794-1866, had medical training but an assured income allowed him to choose a more diverse life in science and art, and in his public work - where he became a leading voice against slavery. He published his Scottish Cryptogamic Flora in monthly parts, intending it to complete the catalogue of flora in Smith and Sowerby's English Botany. He drew all the specimens himself and these drawings together with the detailed text, form a comprehensive picture of the scottish cryptogamic flora as it was in the early nineteenth century. This copy is in contemporary marbled boards with cloth spines that have been rebacked and had new title labels. The binding is possibly a publisher's one. The boards have general wear but the bindings are sound. New endpapers have been added. Each volume has a half title and title page, text (numbered on recto only) and 60 plates, and index. Vol I has a dedication and advertisement; Vol IV has an index to the first 4 volumes; and Vol VI has a synopsis and full index (82pp) at the end of the volume. There is a bill of sale from Wheldon and Wesley dated 1986 loose in Vol VI. The contents are in very good clean condition with beautifully coloured plates. There are no tissue-guards so there is offsetting from strongly coloured images to the text and slight offsetting of text to a few plates in Vol II. Occasional slgiht darkening to top margin in Vol IV.