By the middle of the nineteenth century, botany was a popular amateur pursuit as well as a rapidly developing science. First published in 1850, this catalogue covers the flora of Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy - the most popular tourist destinations of the period. It was compiled over several years by Joseph Woods (1776–1864), who was an architect by profession but also an avid botanist and contributor to the Transactions of the Linnean Society. Taking care to clearly define his terms in the still-developing botanical lexicon, Woods includes hundreds of entries and technical descriptions. A testament to the contemporary market for scholarly amateur guides, this rigorous publication is the product of the author's lifelong interest and a retirement devoted to painstaking study. It remains an instructive resource for those interested in the history and dissemination of plant science.
