The Forest Flora of South Australia
Adelaide, Government Printer, 1882 to 1890.
Large folio 550 × 425 mm), nine parts, each containing 5 full-page chromolithographic plates (each one with at least one leaf of text).
Original flush-cut quarter cloth and pictorial wrappers (with some minor defects and blemishes, such as light stains, tears, and occasional loss to the edges); one leaf of text has a long sealed tear, and there are short sealed tears to the margins of a few others; trifling signs of use and age; a very good set, with all 45 plates in fine condition.
The following information from the 'Australian Dictionary of Biography' about the South Australian botanical artist Rosa Catherine Fiveash (1854-1938) is a potted history of the project: 'In 1882 Rosa was invited to illustrate "The Forest Flora of South Australia" by John Ednie Brown. Nine parts of this work, which was never completed, were published in 1882-90. Each one contained five attractive lithographs of native plants and Rosa drew 32 of the 45 published; they were drawn as specimens came to hand, in no particular botanical order'. John Ednie Brown (1848-1899) was Conservator of Forests for the Government of South Australia from 1878; in 1890 he 'accepted the position of director-general of forests in New South Wales at £800 a year, £50 more than the South Australians paid him'. Presumably Brown's departure in 1890 caused the project to be abandoned then. Ferguson 7516. Provenance: John McConnell Black (1855-1951), South Australian botanist, with his name-stamp in each part, his manuscript index to the contents in ink on each front wrapper, and his occasional addenda and corrigenda to the text. 'Although self-trained, he was clearly the best systematic botanist in the State for almost fifty years. "The Flora of South Australia" was published in four parts in 1922-29, admirably illustrated with Black's habit and dissection drawings and including 2430 species, both indigenous and naturalized. It was indispensable both to local professional and lay botanists and to those concerned with the vegetation of the arid regions of contiguous States.... The need for a revised edition of his book became acute in 1939: at 84 he undertook this exacting task. While slower in pace he was still efficient and worked steadily for twelve years, publishing part 1 in 1943 and part 2 in 1948; part 3 was nearing completion at his death' (ADB).
Item #112237
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