Florentiae [Florence], P. C. Viviani, 1756. 8vo (19.5 x 13.0 cm). 123 pp.; two large, folded plates. Contemporary quarter calf over blind boards. Spine with gilt ornaments and brown morocco label with gilt title. Edges speckled red.

This is "a botanical treatise based on the Philosophia Botanica (1751), Genera Plantarum (1737), & Systema Naturae (1748). Very rare, especially with the plates. The British Library has a copy, but without the plates. Manetti's letter accompanying his presentation copy to Linnaeus is in the collections of the Linnean Society of London" (Soulsby, p. 11). Saverio, or Xavier, Manetti (1723-1785) was an Italian naturalist perhaps best known for his grand work on birds, Storia naturale degli uccelli trattata con metodo eadornata di figure intagliate in rame e miniate al naturale. He was a good friend of Linnaeus, and is regarded as the editor of this work, rather than as the writer. Boards a bit rubbed, some light spotting, otherwise a very good copy. Cat. BM(NH) pp. 1128, 1232; Soulsby, 65; Stafleu and Cowan, 5340. Not in Nissen.