Flower reproductive organs
Date
1674
Creator
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694, Italian) , Physician
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p143r
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 319mm
width (page): 225mm
width (page): 225mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Sectional views of the ovaries and ovules of various plant species’ flowers viewed under magnification, including:
Figure 254 [upper left]: Shepherd’s purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris, referred to by Malpighi as Bursae pastoris.
Figure 255 [upper centre]: Pennycress, Thlaspi arvense, referred to as Thlaspi.
Figure 256 [upper right]: An unidentified species referred to as Lagopus.
Figure 257 [centre left]: Honey flower, Melianthus major, referred to as Melanthii.
Figure 258 [centre right]: Hyacinth, Hyacinthus, referred to as Mattioli hyacintho.
Figure 259 [lower left]: An unidentified species referred to as Gittago.
Figure 260 [lower centre]: Flax, Linum usitatissimum, referred to as Lino.
Figure 261 [lower right]: Mallow, Malva, referred to as the same.
Each drawn on an individual slip of paper and arranged on the page for printing. Inscribed: ‘Tab XLV’ in top right-hand corner.
Page 143 from MS/103/1, later published as Tab. XLV 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 254 [upper left]: Shepherd’s purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris, referred to by Malpighi as Bursae pastoris.
Figure 255 [upper centre]: Pennycress, Thlaspi arvense, referred to as Thlaspi.
Figure 256 [upper right]: An unidentified species referred to as Lagopus.
Figure 257 [centre left]: Honey flower, Melianthus major, referred to as Melanthii.
Figure 258 [centre right]: Hyacinth, Hyacinthus, referred to as Mattioli hyacintho.
Figure 259 [lower left]: An unidentified species referred to as Gittago.
Figure 260 [lower centre]: Flax, Linum usitatissimum, referred to as Lino.
Figure 261 [lower right]: Mallow, Malva, referred to as the same.
Each drawn on an individual slip of paper and arranged on the page for printing. Inscribed: ‘Tab XLV’ in top right-hand corner.
Page 143 from MS/103/1, later published as Tab. XLV 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
