Exactissima descriptio rariorum quarundam plantarum, quae cintinentur Romae in Horto Farnesiano [...].

Folio: [12]-100-[1-1 bl.-6] pp. (toned, some spotting or marginal soiling, stamp on title and f. 2 erased with sm. dam. to engraving but underlaid, a few sm. marginal wormtracks).

Contemp. vellum, ink-titled spine with 5 raised bands (sl. warping). Good copy.

Rare catalogue of special plants in the botanical garden of Cardinal Farnese on the Palatine Hill in Rome. The seeds of these scarce and exotic plants were brought to Rome by members of the Jesuit Order travelling abroad. Many species were not previous seen in Europe. Among the plants shown are: the Acnes farnesiana, from Santo Domingo and used mainly in the preparation of perfumes; a kind of passionflower from Peru; the glorious Yucca, drawn in flower inside a vase, originally from Canada. With a list of their medicinal and gastronomic properties. Aldini, the garden’s curator, is credited on the title page, but it was written by his friend Pietro Castelli (1570-1661), professor of botany in Rome and founder of the Botanical Gardens at Messina. Engr. title by Luca Ciamberlano (1589-1641), depicting Theophrastus and Dioscorides at the base of a large portal with putti on top, and a coat of arms of the dedicatee, Odoardo Farnese. A few woodcut illustrations, and 22 full-page engravings. Printed within ruled borders.
Ref. Nissen (BBI) 13. - Pritzel 1590. - Hunt 208. - Plesch 125. - Alden/Landis, p. 243.