Jacob Sturm Botanical Plate XXVI Journal — 1887 Poppies, Roses & Wildflowers

In 1887, as botanical education flourished across German-speaking Europe, Jacob Sturm’s Naturgeschichte des Pflanzenreichs brought to students and nature lovers something that no single-species illustration could offer: the comparative plate — multiple related species arranged together on a single page, their similarities and differences visible at a glance. It was the visual expression of the natural system of classification, the conviction that plants were best understood not in isolation but in relation to their botanical family. Plate XXVI is one of the finest examples of this tradition.

Both covers reproduce Plate XXVI in full, bringing together eleven species from two of the most important families of European flora. From the Rosaceae: Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry), Rubus fruticosus (blackberry), Potentilla anserina (silverweed), Dryas octopetala (mountain avens), Rosa canina (dog rose) — the wild rose of European hedgerows, soft pink and quietly beautiful — and Geum urbanum (wood avens). From the Papaveraceae: Papaver rhoeas (common red poppy), the flower of agricultural fields and, since the First World War, of remembrance; Papaver somniferum (opium poppy) in elegant purples and whites; Chelidonium majus (greater celandine); Tormentilla erecta (tormentil); and Capparis spinosa (caper). Together, a portrait of European wildflower diversity from the alpine to the Mediterranean.

Product Details

• Format: Hardcover journal
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: 100 g
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print

Perfect For

• Wildflower enthusiasts and botanical art lovers keeping a nature journal
• Admirers of the German natural history illustration tradition
• Poppy and rose lovers drawn to the history and symbolism of these flowers
• Garden journalers, field botanists, and nature observers
• Anyone who appreciates the beauty of 19th-century comparative botanical plates
• A beautiful gift for those who love European wildflowers and botanical history

To learn more about Jacob Sturm and the German tradition of botanical education, read Jacob Sturm and the German Tradition of Botanical Education on New Old Time.