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Yokusai was a physician and herbalist who retired at age 50 to study plants full time. He published some of his botanical findings in a twenty volume, woodblock-printed picture book entitled Sōmoku Zusetsu (Vegetation Illustrated). It was published between 1856 and 1861. This book is considered to be Japan’s first modern botanical encyclopedia. Each of the plants was drawn accurately but they were only colored in shades of grey (likely to reduce the cost of printing). The plants scientific names were also given. However, some of these names have changed so the current names are given below the pictures. This gallery shows the pictures included in volume 1. Click on a picture to enlarge it.
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Photo album created with Web Album Generator