"The Laurel Tree of Carolina," in Mark Catesby, The Natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands (London, 1747)
Mark Catesby traveled through parts of North America studying and drawing the plants and animals he observed. This plate depicts the laurel tree. Many of the images in the book were etched on copper plates by Catesby himself, who learned to include backgrounds and intricate details in his images. His volumes allowed readers to view foreign plant and animal specimens with their own eyes. (AL)
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