Botany.- Asia.- Hooker (Joseph Dalton) The Rhododendrons of Sikkim-Himalaya, 3 parts in 1, first edition of part 2 and 3, second edition of part 1 only, 1849[-51]

Botany.- Asia.- Hooker (Joseph Dalton) The Rhododendrons of Sikkim-Himalaya, 3 parts in 1, first edition of part 2 and 3, second edition of part 1, 30 hand-coloured lithograph plates and hand-coloured vignette, one leaf with marginal repair, some light foxing, contemporary morocco-backed boards, spine lettered in gilt, [Great Flower Books p.60; Nissen BBI, 911; Pritzel 4200; Stafleu & Cowan 2969], folio, 1849[-51].

*** One of the most attractive botanical books of the nineteenth century. "An important work, both for the botanist and horticulturist since it contains descriptions and plates of many of the best garden Rhododendron species which can be grown in this country and an account of their discovery" (Great Flower Books).

"The drawings based on Hooker's dried specimens and field sketches were by Kew's official botanical artist, Walter Hood Fitch. Fitch's vigorous, confident lines and bold colouring miraculously recreated exotic bloom - 29 had been delineated by the time the last plate appeared in 1851 - which excited the botanist and were to provide the gardener with some of our best garden species" (Desmond, The European discovery of the Indian flora, p.144).

Joseph Dalton Hooker obtained through Lord Carlisle a grant to explore the central and eastern Himalayas. The text was edited by Sir William Hooker (1785-1865) from his son's field notes sent back from India.

This is the second issue, of part 1 - printed in the same year, there is no difference with the first edition except for the indication 'second edition'.