Curtis Botanical – Plate 6951 – Large-leafed Alseuosmia / Toropapa

Original antique black-and-white print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine — Plate 6951.

A rare New Zealand forest shrub with large, glossy leaves and small tubular flowers of extraordinary fragrance — the genus name means 'grove of fragrance.' The Māori name toropapa refers to its use in forest understoreys. Almost unknown outside New Zealand, it represents the ancient Gondwanan flora that makes New Zealand one of the world's great botanical anomalies — many of its plants evolved in isolation for 80 million years.

New Zealand and Māori heritage connection.

Uncolored plate. Condition consistent with age of volume. Each print is a unique piece of botanical history, printed on paper aged over a century.

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.