Historia Plantarum (Gessner)

Historia Plantarum ("History of Plants") is the title of several significant botanical works. The most well-known of these is generally considered to be that written by Conrad Gessner (1516-1565), a Swiss physician, naturalist, bibliographer, and philologist. Gessner's Historia Plantarum was a groundbreaking work intended to describe all known plants.

While Gessner died before completing the publication of his Historia Plantarum, leaving it unfinished, the manuscript represents a monumental effort in the field of botany during the Renaissance. It aimed to be a comprehensive catalogue of plants, featuring descriptions, medicinal uses, geographical distribution, and, importantly, illustrations. The illustrations were of particular significance, often based on direct observation and intended to aid in accurate identification.

Although never published in its entirety during Gessner's lifetime (or shortly thereafter), sections and drawings from Historia Plantarum were incorporated into other botanical works. The sheer scope and detail of Gessner's work significantly influenced later botanists and herbalists, contributing to the development of botanical illustration and the scientific study of plants. It stands as an important precursor to later, more formally organized botanical classifications.

The work is notable for its detailed descriptions, reflecting Gessner's meticulous approach to observation and documentation, and also for its focus on the practical uses of plants, particularly in medicine. It represents a transition from purely medicinal herbalism to a more scientific approach to botany.