Gestaltwandel und Artbildung erörtert am Beispiel der Orchidaceen Europas und der Mittelmeerländer inbesondere der Gattung Ophrys mit einer Monographie und Ikonographie der Gattung Ophrys [and] Monographie und Ikonographie der Orchidaceen-Gattungen Serapias, Aceras, Loroglossum, Barlia [and] Monographie und Ikonographie der Orchidaceen-Gattung Dactylorhiza

Description:

First editions. Erich Nelson, (1897-1980), was a German artist, scientific illustrator and botanist. He was one of the most influential taxonomists and evolutionary thinkers to work on the orchid flora of Europe and the Mediterranean region during the 20th century. He wrote five books which were published during his lifetime, and the three volumes offered here are the three major monographic treatments of orchid genera: Ophrys (1962), Serapias, Aceras, Loroglossum (Himantoglossum) and Barlia (1968), and Dactylorhiza (1976). Each comprises of two parts: a text in German covering morphology, variation and evolution of the species, identification keys, and a detailed account of each species, its morphology, infraspecific variation, ecology, and distribution; the second, in a larger format, contains a loose-leaf iconography of his exquisite paintings of orchids, all drawn from life, detailed black and white photographic flora dissections, and distribution maps. (Nelson had also completed a set of watercolours for a similar work on the genus Orchis at the time of his death - a text to accompany these was finally completed by others 20 years later and it was published in 2001).

Condition

3 text vols, small 4to (305x220mm), orig. cloth, together with plates loose in 3 matching cloth solander boxes (395x295mm). Some foxing/browning to cloth covers; one plate volume with wear to the box. Plates and text clean. Very good set.