First edition of an important botanical work, thought to have served as a source for Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). It discusses the classifications of grasses and contains a section dedicated to cereal grasses, including wheat, millet and rice. The present copy was part of the library of botanist Guy Ambroise du Dresnay (1770-1837).
Giuseppe Monti (1682-1760) was a chemist and botanist from Italy. He was a professor of botany in Bologna as well as the head of the Bologna botanical gardens. He was in correspondence with Linnaeus, who held him in high regard and named a plant family after him (Montiaceae), which comprises of 230 species that can be found all over the world.
With an annotation on the title-page ("Dudresnay Mns.(?) des Araras") and the round stamp of "Bibliotheque du Dresnay" underneath, and small annotations (the Latin names of the depicted plants) on the first full-page engraving. The edges, corners and joints of the boards are scuffed, the boards are somewhat rubbed, with some loss of material. The first and last few leaves are slightly foxed. Otherwise in good condition. BM, General catalogue vol. 17, p. 892/338; Pritzel 6394.