Traité général de botanique descriptive et analytique. Première partie: abrégé d'organographie, d'anatomie et de physiologie. Deuxième partie: iconographie, description et histoire des familles

Published in Paris around 1867, this monumental work represents the collaborative efforts of French naturalists Emmanuel Le Maout and Joseph Decaisne. The volume was conceived as a comprehensive pedagogical tool intended to modernize botanical study, moving beyond simple classification to integrate deep anatomical analysis with systematic description. Its production came at a peak of nineteenth-century European interest in natural history, serving as a primary reference for scholars seeking a holistic understanding of plant life.

The publication is particularly noted for its extensive illustrative program, featuring thousands of intricate wood engravings that meticulously detail plant structures. Designed to provide both professional clarity and visual accessibility, the illustrations were widely lauded for their scientific rigor. The work solidified the reputations of Le Maout and Decaisne within the botanical community, remaining a foundational textbook that defined the instructional standard for generations of botanists in the francophone world.