An exceptionally attractive original example of one of Baron Ferdinand von Mueller's major nineteenth-century works on Australian botany, retaining its original publisher's dark green cloth binding and complete suite of 75 full-page lithographs.  

Mueller, Baron Ferdinand von. Description and Illustrations of the Myoporinous Plants of Australia. II. Lithograms. Melbourne: By Authority, John Ferres, Government Printer, 1886. Large quarto. Original dark green pebble-grain publisher's cloth, boards elaborately decorated in blind with botanical corner ornaments and ruled borders; spine ruled in blind and lettered in gilt: MYOPORINOUS PLANTS OF AUSTRALIA / MUELLER / II. / LITHOGRAMS. Original yellow endpapers.  

The work comprises preliminary matter including title, dedication to former Victorian Premier James Service, preface and alphabetical and systematic/geographic indexes, followed by the botanical plates and their accompanying descriptive letterpress. The botanical suite comprises Plates I–LXXII and Supplemental Plates I–II - 74 botanical plates - together with the lithographic frontispiece of Myoporum insulare, for 75 full-page lithographs in total. Complete. 

Each botanical plate is accompanied by its descriptive letterpress leaf. The illustrations depict species of Eremophila, Myoporum and allied Australian plants in considerable botanical detail, generally showing the complete plant or branch together with enlarged flowers, stamens, pistils, fruits, seeds and anatomical sections. The plates were prepared under Mueller's direction; Victorian library cataloguing associates Robert Graff with the work, and surviving individual plates carry the credits "R. Graff del." and "F.v.M. direxit".  

The opening lithographic frontispiece is particularly appealing, depicting Myoporum insulare R. Brown as a mature tree in an Australian pastoral landscape with cattle, sheep and horse. The botanical plates themselves combine scientific precision with the exceptionally fine lithographic draughtsmanship characteristic of Mueller's Victorian Government botanical publications.  

Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller (1825–1896) was Government Botanist of Victoria and one of the central figures in nineteenth-century Australian natural history. This volume represents Mueller's attempt to illustrate systematically the Australian Myoporaceae/Myoporinae, a group then overwhelmingly associated with Australia.  

Mueller himself considered the project significant. In correspondence dated 18 May 1886, shortly before completion, he reported that the volume containing "75 quarto illustrations" would shortly be ready at the Government Printing Office. He requested copies for James Service, to whom the work was dedicated, for the Victorian Court at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, and for his department.  Mueller had been considering a monographic treatment of the group for years. In correspondence with Alphonse de Candolle in 1881 he observed that additions to the Myoporinae had been numerous and noted the exceptional strength of his own collections, including material of rare species not represented in European herbaria.  

The work also has an unusual publication history. Bibliographical records consistently identify this as Volume II, Lithograms, published/printed at Melbourne by John Ferres in 1886; BHL additionally notes that the projected other volume was not published.  

Very Good or better overall; internally exceptionally clean.  A particularly pleasing copy in the original nineteenth-century publisher's dark green cloth, rather than a later rebinding. Binding remains firm and attractive, with the blind-stamped botanical decoration to both boards exceptionally well defined and the gilt spine lettering still strong and readily legible.  

There is light general rubbing and handling to the cloth, minor marks to the boards and wear/bumping at the extremities. The spine ends show some crushing and small areas of fraying/loss, particularly at the head and tail, but the spine remains intact and the book presents extremely well.  

The original yellow endpapers shows some dark offsetting/discolouration corresponding to the turn-ins of the binding, together with age-related marks. This is confined to the endpaper area and does not reflect the condition of the botanical plates.  

Internally the book is remarkably fresh for a large Australian scientific work printed in 1886. The title, dedication, indexes, descriptive leaves and illustrated plates photographed are clean and crisp, with only mild age toning and occasional minor marks. The lithographs retain excellent definition and strong contrast. No significant foxing, damp staining or intrusive annotation has been observed.  

Please examine all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.