“English Botany; or, Coloured Figures of British Plants” is an extensive botanical work published between 1790 and 1814, encompassing 36 volumes. Conceived, illustrated, edited, and published by the renowned botanical illustrator and natural historian James Sowerby, this monumental series offers detailed descriptions and hand-coloured engravings of British flora. The brief formal technical descriptions were primarily supplied by Sir James Edward Smith, founder of the Linnean Society.

Volume 15, published in 1802, continues the series’ tradition of combining scientific accuracy with artistic excellence. This volume includes plates numbered 1009 to 1074, each accompanied by concise technical descriptions and extensive commentary in plain English. The vivid hand-coloured engravings, a hallmark of Sowerby’s work, contributed significantly to the series’ popularity among both botanists and the general public.

The series was not initially intended to be comprehensive; however, by its conclusion, it had become the most extensive illustrated flora of Great Britain published up to that time. It included the first descriptions and illustrations of many mosses and lichens, reflecting the particular interests of both Sowerby and Smith. The high-quality plates and accessible text made “English Botany” an immediate success, with Sowerby offering the complete work or individual plates without text.

Despite being printed in runs of up to 900 copies—a remarkably high number for copper-plate engravings—few complete first edition sets of the work were assembled. This scarcity is likely due to the high total selling price and the lengthy publication period, which spanned two major wars and the famine of 1805. Today, complete first edition sets are rare, with only four known to have survived, all in private ownership.