Third edition. A comprehensive history of Britsh ferns accompanied by 22 hand-coloured plates. The author was a leading expert on British ferns at the time, and was highly respected by both scholars and amateur gardeners alike following the publication of his major works, The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1855.
Moore's works would have been referenced by those swept up by Pteridomania, or 'fern-madness', which had a significant impact on British society in the mid-late Victorian era. The movement was especially popular with middle-class women, who were able to travel widely and socialise unchaperoned while collecting samples for their fern collections.
In good to very good condition with some plates creased, a small split to front hinge material, bumped corners, an ink inscription to the front free endpaper, and light foxing to plates. Stain to pp. 210-211 from a petal pressed between them. Bound firmly in stamped blue cloth with a gilt fern motif to the front board, and gilt spine details. 17 x 13 cm. [vii], viii-xvi, pp. 2-394, plates, [i], pp. 4-8 adverts, [ii].
