Australian Honey-Flower, Lambertia formosa. Superb botanical lithograph c1896

by Maiden, J.H.

Lambertia formosa, from the natural order of Proteacae, has tubular flowers that contain an unusual quantity of honey. Named Lambertia after botanical writer and owner of a fine herbarium, Aylmer Bourke Lambert, and Latin formosa, meaning beautiful.

Botanical draughtsman R.T. Baker supervised artists E.W. Minchen and H.J.A. Baron in producing this fine lithograph (240 x 180mm in size), with flower and dissections, foliage, pericarpium and seeds, published by the New South Wales Department of Mines and Agriculture (Forest Branch). J.H. Maiden, F.L.S., assisted by W.S. Campbell, F.L.S., compiled the work which was printed in Sydney between 1895 and 1898 to increase public knowledge of the Colony's principal flowering shrubs, plants, ferns, and forest trees of economic value". Botanist Joseph Maiden (1859-1925) was director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, and a leading advocate for the conservation of native forests, and trees in urban areas.

The page size is 240 x 180mm (9.5 x 7 inches).