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First edition. Folio in 4s (13 13/16" x 9 1/16", 352mm x 230mm). [Full collation available.] With a plate-title and 184 plates (I/1-XXXVII/37, XXXVII*,37*, XXXVIII/38-CLXXXVIII/183), of which 6 (LXXXVI/86, CLXXIX/179-CLXXXIII/183) fold. Bound in (perhaps slightly later) vellum over boards (rebacked, with the original (?) label laid down). A paper label running the length of the spine, with author, title and shelfmark ink manuscript. All edges of the text-block speckled blue. Rebacked, with the original (?) label laid down. Fore-corners bumped. With some spotting to the preliminaries, along with an ink manuscript marginal correction. Marginal worming to plates 166-178, eventually resulting in small loss, not affecting the images. Ink manuscript binomials to the plates in an early hand. Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727-1817), at the request of Francis I the Holy Roman Emperor, traveled through the West Indies, collecting specimens for the Schönbrunn Palace (which Alexander von Humboldt studied in preparation for his America trip). The present item, an account of American plants, is a direct result of that trip, and Jacquin's first major publication. Jacquin here gave the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) its current binomial name for the first time; it is now one of the most important and valuable crops globally. The plates are an important record of his collecting, since many of the specimens were kept in such a way that they degraded or were destroyed in the Viennese climate. Jacquin was a committed correspondent with Carl Linnaeus; initially, as here, Jacquin is pure pupil and sincere admirer; with time, he would come to debate the master botanist. Blunt pp. 171-172; Dunthorne 148; Hunt 579; Nissen, BBI 979; Pritzel 4362; Sabin 35521; Stafleu-Cowan 3243. Seller Inventory # JLR0214
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