Curtis Botanical – Plate 8050 – Koyamaki / Japanese Umbrella Pine

Original antique black-and-white botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine — Plate 8050.

Plant: Sciadopitys Verticillata (Koyamaki / Japanese Umbrella Pine). Native to: Japan (endemic — found nowhere else on Earth).

The sole living member of its entire plant family, unchanged for over 200 million years. One of the five sacred trees of Kiso — cutting them was a capital offense under feudal law. Named for Mount Koya, home to the Okunoin cemetery where over 200,000 people have been interred across eleven centuries. Koyamaki branches are the traditional offering placed on graves and altars at this sacred site.

Printed in London. Each print is an original page removed from a bound volume of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, the world's oldest continuously published botanical journal (founded 1787). Uncolored plate. Sold individually. Minor age-related toning consistent with 19th-century paper.

This is an original uncolored (plain) plate from leftover publisher stock of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, printed in London. It was issued uncolored and never bound. We bought the holding at the estate of a Chicago rare bookseller. Labels and stock papers from the British dealer Wheldon & Wesley came with it. Library stamps, when present, are noted on the listing.