Trees And Shrubs Of The Witwatersrand By Barbara Jeppe
Trees And Shrubs Of The Witwatersrand (Premium First Edition Copy)
The Foundational, Beautifully Illustrated Botanical Compendium to the Indigenous Flora of the Highveld
The Foundational, Beautifully Illustrated Botanical Compendium to the Indigenous Flora of the Highveld
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Trees And Shrubs Of The Witwatersrand
- Author: Barbara Jeppe
- Publisher: Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg
- Publication Date: 1964
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Impression. Standard Hardcover Issue.
- Binding: Publisher's original full cloth boards with crisp stamped title lettering on the spine, topped with an illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 220 x 145 mm, 127 pages. Lavishly illustrated with full-page botanical color plates and detailed line drawings executed by the author, complete with a visual classification key and a localized geographical index.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Good (G)
- Exterior / Boards: The original structural cloth binding is sound, flat, and square. The corners and edges show standard light shelf wear and surface rubbing from long-term storage, while the spine remains entirely unbroken and rigid.
- Interior: The text block is robustly bound, tight, and true. Internal pages exhibit natural, uniform age-tanning across the margins but remain clean, clear, and firmly attached. Free of user highlighting, modern margin notes, or dog-ears.
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The Dust Jacket: Fair to Good (G) in Protective Wrap
- Exterior: Present and now stabilized. The jacket exhibits advanced age-related wear, surface rubbing, minor chipping at the spine ends, and localized handling tears all over. The presentation is now safely preserved within a fresh clear cellophane wrapper, which holds the jacket together beautifully, shields the edges from future friction, and presents handsomely on a shelf.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1964 by the Witwatersrand University Press, Trees And Shrubs Of The Witwatersrand is a historic and highly coveted classic that marks the very beginning of Barbara Jeppe's legendary career in botanical illustration. This pioneering field guide was specifically created to unlock the rich, often under-appreciated woody flora native to the rocky ridges, valleys, and open grasslands of the Southern Transvaal Highveld.
Published in 1964 by the Witwatersrand University Press, Trees And Shrubs Of The Witwatersrand is a historic and highly coveted classic that marks the very beginning of Barbara Jeppe's legendary career in botanical illustration. This pioneering field guide was specifically created to unlock the rich, often under-appreciated woody flora native to the rocky ridges, valleys, and open grasslands of the Southern Transvaal Highveld.
The structural core of the book covers 127 distinct indigenous plants, methodically divided into eleven logical groups according to leaf structure or specific plant types. Jeppe provides clear, highly practical identification directions, ensuring that amateur nature lovers can instantly recognize specimens without needing a complex background in academic taxonomy. The absolute highlight of the volume is the artwork: every plant is brought to life through illustrations that are not only aesthetically beautiful but also meticulously precise in their botanical and scientific accuracy. Long out of print, this landmark 1964 volume serves as an important ecological record of the Witwatersrand basin before massive urban expansion, making it a prized cornerstone collectible for nature enthusiasts, landscape designers, and serious Africana bibliophiles.
Author Profile: Barbara Jeppe
Barbara Jeppe (1921–1999) was one of South Africa’s most celebrated and deeply revered botanical artists. Trees and Shrubs of the Witwatersrand was her very first published book, launching a prolific four-decade career during which she illustrated some of the most definitive botanical texts in southern Africa—including the landmark Aloes of South Africa, Natal Wild Flowers, and South Africa Is My Garden. Renowned for her extraordinary attention to taxonomic detail, Jeppe famously cultivated many of her subjects from seed or traveled deep into remote wilderness areas to sketch them in their native habitats. Her unparalleled ability to combine rigorous scientific observation with a soft, ethereal watercolor technique earned her the Gold Medal from the Botanical Society of South Africa. Her enduring legacy continues to inspire modern botanical illustrators and collectors across the globe.
Barbara Jeppe (1921–1999) was one of South Africa’s most celebrated and deeply revered botanical artists. Trees and Shrubs of the Witwatersrand was her very first published book, launching a prolific four-decade career during which she illustrated some of the most definitive botanical texts in southern Africa—including the landmark Aloes of South Africa, Natal Wild Flowers, and South Africa Is My Garden. Renowned for her extraordinary attention to taxonomic detail, Jeppe famously cultivated many of her subjects from seed or traveled deep into remote wilderness areas to sketch them in their native habitats. Her unparalleled ability to combine rigorous scientific observation with a soft, ethereal watercolor technique earned her the Gold Medal from the Botanical Society of South Africa. Her enduring legacy continues to inspire modern botanical illustrators and collectors across the globe.
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