Plate 20. Jane W. Loudon. (Crane's Bill) British Wild Flowers. London: William Smith, 1849. $185.00

Plate 20. 1. Blood red Crane’s bill 2. Meadow Crane’s bill 3. Dusky Crane’s bill 4. Mountain Crane’s bill 5. Dove’s-foot Crane’s bill 6. Herb Robert

In her introduction to this work, Mrs. Loudon (1807-1858) stated her goal to be to create a work that would be useful to ladies interested in flowers and would encourage the study of botany “which has hitherto been too much neglected… I shall take only the most ornamental plants, and I shall not figure any flowers that are common in gardens. My object is to enable any amateur who may find a pretty flower growing in the wild to ascertain its name and some particulars respecting it.”

Hand colored lithograph.
11 ¼ x 8 5/8 inches, sheet.
Light overall toning.