Herbals: Their Origin and Evolution (Illustrated Edition‪)‬

In the centuries between 1470 and 1670, printed herbals emerged in Europe as some of the earliest scientific books — richly illustrated and deeply influential. They documented plants, their forms, and their uses long before botany became a formal scientific discipline. Agnes Arber’s Herbals: Their Origin and Evolution traces this remarkable development, showing how curiosity, art, and observation combined to transform the way humans understood the plant world.

Starting with the earliest printed botanical works of the fifteenth century, the narrative follows the evolution of the herbal through its various cultural contexts — from Germany and Italy to England and the Low Countries. Along the way, the book explores the growth of plant description, classification, and artistic representation, revealing how these books both reflected and shaped the emerging science of botany.

This edition enhances Arber’s classic text with 15 specially prepared illustrations that visually interpret key themes and historical moments, offering readers an enriched connection to the heritage of botanical literature.