Lot 862
862
CLARKE, C.B. Commelynaceae et Cyrtandraceae Bengalenses (paucis aliis ex terris adjacentibus additis). Calcutta, 1874. (4), 133, ii (index) pp. W. 95 lithogr. plates (plate I-XCIII, LXXXVII bis, LXXXIX bis). Lge-fol. Cont. hcl. extra. (Spine renewed, edges & corners a bit rubbed, small dampstain in the inner top margin of the first few lvs., small stamp on free endpaper, some light foxing).
Rare monograph describing all the Bengal species of Commelynaceae (Commelinacea, the dayflower, or spiderwort, family) and Cyrtandraceae (Cyrtandroideae, African violets and related groups), including several new species. As the title indicates, the species of adjacent regions are included as well. Trained at Cambridge, the botanist Charles Baron Clarke (1832-1906) travelled extensively in Bengal, Assam, Kashmir, Nepal, and Bhutan collecting and meticulously documenting the native flora. He constructed a massive herbarium that was eventually given to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. Due to a printer's error, page 4 contains the same text as page 3. This is the list of plates, up to LXII. Comparison of the text, plates, and index, however, shows this copy to be complete, there is no text loss. A very good copy. - Nissen BBI, 362; Stafleu and Cowan 1137.€ 360
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