DODART, Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des plantes, 1679

Second edition.
Presentation copy to John Ray (Raïus latinized form).
A founding work of botanical science in France.
This second edition only includes the first part of the original edition, entitled Projet de l'Histoire des plantes. Denis Dodart sets out the framework for one of the great designs of the young Royal Academy of Sciences: the creation of a History of Plants, an exhaustive catalogue of plant species.
At the same time, in 1674, the British naturalist John Ray (1607-1725) complained to the scientific community about having to consult and combine a multitude of publications for a simple study, calling for a catalogue of all known plants. These Memoirs constitute the first step, the master plan in a way, and the work is today considered the founding work of botanical science in France.