British Jungermanniae: being a History and Description, with colored Figures, of each Species of the Genus, and microscopical Analyses of the Parts. - [ESTABLISHING HEPATICOLOGY - PRESENTATION COPY]

1812. London, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, (1812-) 1816 4to. Bound in a fine contemp. full calf with broad rectangular gilt borders on covers. Inner gilt borders. Professionally re-backed to style and spine richly gilt. Fine repairs along edges and to corners. Engraved frontispiece-portrait of Hooker. (28) incl.htitle,20 pp., (2) pp. of Index. Unnumbered leaves with descriptions to each plate. Complete with 88 fine hand-coloured engraved plates (Numb. I-LXXXIV and Supplementplates I-IV (bound first). Portrait with some brownspots, some offsetting from portrait to title. Inner margins of portrait and title-page with 2 larger brownspots, not reaching the text or the engraving. Otherwise a fine clean copy with broad margins, printed on good paper. Exquisite handcolouring. Interesting presentation-copy of the scarce first edition of Hooker's first botanical work, which is not only considered his most beautiful, but which is also the work that established hepaticology (the science of liverworts) as an independent entity and cemented Hooker's reputation. Presented on half-title: "To Francis Boott, Esq./ of Boston, N. America,/ as a testimony of the affectionate/ regard & esteem of/ The Author/ Halesworth Aug. 5.th 1818." Underneath the dedication in Francis Boott's hand: "Mr. Hooker in a letter to me from Halesworth of Aug 5. - says of this copy - "It will serve as a specimen of Country binding, printing and engraving - every thing in short belonging to it being executed in this neighbourhood."/ signed "F.B.". When Hooker returned from his botanical excursions, first to Iceland, then to France, Switzerland and Northern Italy, he devoted himself to the formation of his "Herbarium", which became of worldwide renown among botanists. In 1841 he was appointed director of the Royal Botanical Garden at Kew, where he founded the first museum of economic botany."Hooker spent twelve years at Halesworth, during which he produced his British Jungermanniae, with his own illustrations, widely considered to be his most beautiful work. This book established hepaticology as an independent entity and made Hooker's reputation." (Mea Allan in DSB).Francis Boott (1792-1863), to whom this copy was given, was a friend of Hooker. He had studied botany in America and medicine in London, where he practiced medicine and also gave lectures in botany, - he was also secretary to the Linnean Society. Pritzel: 4208 - BMC(NH) II.870 - Nissen: 916 - Staffleu & Covan: No 2987.