A complete set of the 3 volumes.
Unclipped colour-illustrated dustjackets, grey paper-boards, plain endpapers.
- Volume 1. Purnell, Cape Town, Johannesburg and London, 1977. J J A van der Walt was the sole author of this first volume. Foreword by H B Rycroft. pp i-xv of prelims + pp 1-50 of b/w-illustrated text + 50 unpaginated colour plates printed with the text + pp xvi-xix of index, glossary and bibliography. Illustrations by Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst. Ink name of a previous owner in front.
- Volume 2. Juta, Cape Town and Johannesburg, 1981. Foreword by R A Dyer. pp i- xi of prelims + 148 pp of text including 50 colour plates + xii-xvii of glossary and bibliography. Illustrations by Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst. The dust jacket has slight paper loss around spine ends.
- Volume 3. National Botanic Gardens, Kirstenbosch, Cape Town, 1988. Foreword by J N Eloff. Including some representative species from other parts of the world. pp i-xiii of prelims + 149 pp of b/w illustrated text including 50 colour plates + pp xiv-xxvi of glossary, index to vols 1-3, index of names and bibliography. Illustrations by Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst. This copy, in the dust jacket, in very good condition.
In all, 150 species are described and illustrated. "The nomenclatural exposition of each species is followed by a formal diagnostic description of the plant. These descriptions are detailed and straightforward, with limited use of technical terms. Areas of distribution are discussed, together with notes on historical backgrounds and cultivation. Growth requirements have been personally studied by the authors and in most cases the plants have been grown and observed in the Botanic Garden at the University of Stellenbosch. Each species is accompanied by a magnificent watercolour painting by Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst, who must rank among the top botanical artists in the country. There are also pencil habit sketches drawn superbly well by this renowned artist. In some instances this is the first time that these plants have been reproduced in colour anywhere." - From the foreword to the third volume.
- Size: 290 x 220 x 70mm; 2.5 kg
