Plant flowers
Date
1674
Creator
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694, Italian) , Physician
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p123r
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 318mm
width (page): 230mm
width (page): 230mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Sectional studies of the flowers of various plant species viewed under magnification, including:
Figure 142 [upper left]: Castor bean, Ricinus , referred to by Malpighi as Palmae Christi.
Figure 143 [upper centre]: Unidentified species referred to as Buccini.
Figure 144 [upper right]: Milkwort, Polygala, referred to as the same.
Figure 145 [centre left]: Laurel, Laurus, and gladiolus, referred to as Lauro and Gladiolo respectively.
Figure 146 [centre]: Grape,Vitis, pear tree, Pyrus, wheat, Triticum, cherry tree, Cerasum and plum tree, Prunus domestica, referred to as Uva, Piro, Tritico, Cerasis, and Prunis respectively.
Figure 147 & 148 [lower centre left]: Primrose, Primula vulgaris, referred to as Primula veris.
Figure 149 [lower right: Marrow, Cucurbita, referred to as Arborscente malva.
Each drawn on an individual slip of paper and arranged on the page for printing. Inscribed: ‘Tab. XXV’ in top right-hand corner.
Page 123 from MS/103/1, later published as Tab. XXV in Marcello Malpighi's Anatome plantarum (1675).
Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694), Italian biologist and physician, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1669.
Figure 142 [upper left]: Castor bean, Ricinus , referred to by Malpighi as Palmae Christi.
Figure 143 [upper centre]: Unidentified species referred to as Buccini.
Figure 144 [upper right]: Milkwort, Polygala, referred to as the same.
Figure 145 [centre left]: Laurel, Laurus, and gladiolus, referred to as Lauro and Gladiolo respectively.
Figure 146 [centre]: Grape,Vitis, pear tree, Pyrus, wheat, Triticum, cherry tree, Cerasum and plum tree, Prunus domestica, referred to as Uva, Piro, Tritico, Cerasis, and Prunis respectively.
Figure 147 & 148 [lower centre left]: Primrose, Primula vulgaris, referred to as Primula veris.
Figure 149 [lower right: Marrow, Cucurbita, referred to as Arborscente malva.
Each drawn on an individual slip of paper and arranged on the page for printing. Inscribed: ‘Tab. XXV’ in top right-hand corner.
Page 123 from MS/103/1, later published as Tab. XXV in Marcello Malpighi's Anatome plantarum (1675).
Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694), Italian biologist and physician, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1669.
Object history
Marcello Malpighi’s research on the anatomy of plants was encouraged and supported by the Royal Society, as evidenced by correspondence between him and the then-Secretary, Henry Oldenburg FRS (1619-1677) in the 1660s and 1670s [MS/103/1].
An abstracted version of his work in this area was first read at a Society meeting on 7 December 1671 [JBO/4, pp.216-217]. The full manuscript of Anatome Plantarum, together with the frontispiece artwork and these plates, was received and read on 28 January 1674/75 [MS/103/1-2].
It was ordered for printing by the Society’s printer John Martin in June 1675 [CMO/1/221]. The published work consists of the text of Anatome Plantarum and De ovo incubato as an appendix, and 61 plates illustrating each [54 and 7 respectively].
An abstracted version of his work in this area was first read at a Society meeting on 7 December 1671 [JBO/4, pp.216-217]. The full manuscript of Anatome Plantarum, together with the frontispiece artwork and these plates, was received and read on 28 January 1674/75 [MS/103/1-2].
It was ordered for printing by the Society’s printer John Martin in June 1675 [CMO/1/221]. The published work consists of the text of Anatome Plantarum and De ovo incubato as an appendix, and 61 plates illustrating each [54 and 7 respectively].
Related fellows
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694, Italian) , Physician
Associated place
