Wildflowers of Table Mountain Author: W.P.U. Jackson
Wildflowers of Table Mountain
The Definitive Photographic and Botanical Survey of South Africa's Most Iconic Natural Landmark
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Wildflowers of Table Mountain
- Author: W.P.U. Jackson
- Publisher: Howard Timmins, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1977
- ISBN-10: 0869781464
- ISBN-13: 9780869781463
- Edition Details: First Edition, Standard Hardcover Release.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium full-cloth boards with sharp gilt title lettering on the spine.
- Physical Format: Quarto (4to), 118 pages. Illustrated with dozens of vibrant, high-fidelity color field photographs, topographical descriptions, and analytical floral charts.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The publisher's cloth-bound binding is in immaculate shape, with perfectly true joints, sharp corners, and a rigid spine block.
- Interior: The pages and glossy color plates are exceptionally bright and clean throughout, free of annotations or user highlighting.
- Provenance & Ex-Libris Context: Features the custom-designed ex-libris bookplate on the page opposite the title page, showcasing a stylized owl emblem and the name Richard Hall. Hailing from the private scholarly library of prominent British-born Africanist author and editor Richard Seymour "Dick" Hall (1925–1997), this volume carries significant collector value. The charming owl engraving plays on his nickname and the native Spotted Eagle-Owl ("Dic-Hool"), assuring buyers that this volume was held by a dedicated custodian of global African heritage. [1, 2, 3]
- The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition Detail: The original graphic jacket is bright, crisp, and exceptionally clean, showing only microscopic storage wear. Now professionally protected within a brand-new, clear archival plastic sleeve to ensure it remains pristine.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1977 as a sister volume to his work on the wider Cape, Wildflowers of Table Mountain focuses exclusively on the highly dense and endangered flora across Table Mountain's unique plateaus and valleys. Dr. W.P.U. Jackson lists and photographs the mountain's seasonal blooms, including the iconic Red Disa (the "Pride of Table Mountain"), rare fynbos species, and afro-temperate forest trees.
Combining scientific precision with rich visual presentation, this volume remains an essential historical record of the mountain's fragile eco-system before the impacts of modern tourism. It is a prized asset for collectors of specialized Africana botany and Cape heritage literature.
Author Profile: W.P.U. Jackson
Professor William Peter Uprichard Jackson (1918–1992) was a highly distinguished South African medical scientist, endocrinologist, and passionate amateur botanist. A true polymath, he served as a senior professor at the University of Cape Town and published foundational medical research, while spending his personal time mapping the unique flora of the Cape Peninsula. His books are highly regarded for successfully bridging the gap between professional botany and accessible public field guides.
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