Botanical Illustration of a Potentilla by James Sowerby

James Sowerby (1757-1822) created watercolours to illustrate his 36-volume work on the botany of England. Prior to this major project he had collaborated with botanist William Curtis – who had established a botanical garden in Lambeth-providing illustrations for his Flora Londinensis (1777) and the Botanical Magazine (first published in 1787).

This illustration shows Potentilla Bifurca, also known as Schistophyllidium Bifurcum, which is native to the Russian, Korean and Mongolian slopes and grasslands as well as the north coast of China.