[Herbal in first edition with lovely provenance. Acosta] Tractado de las drogas,

y medicinas de las Indias Orientales, con sus plantas debuxadas al bivo por Christoval Acosta medico y cirujano que las vio ocularmente. En el qual se verificos mucho de lo que escrivis el Doctor Garcia de Orta (...). Burgos, Martin de Victoria, 1578, (24),448;38 index,(1) printer's address p., with woodcut title border, portrait and 43 full-page illustrations, woodcut initials, later green halfleather with morocco letterpiece.

P. 1-23 of the index waterstained in outer margin; several quires with small water stain to blank lower corner, else occ. sl. foxed and binding with light wear. Good copy with lovely provenance: "De la lbr.a de Don Fer.do de Henao Monjaraz". This Don Fernando de Henao Monjaraz is almost certainly the knight of the hospital at Esgueva, born around 1560, which matches perfectly with the possible uses for the book. The first edition of this influential work on eastern medicinal plants and their effects, by the Portuguese doctor and botanist Cristóbal Acosta (1515-1594). The work is a revised and heavily expanded edition of the work by Garcia de Orta, which first appeared in 1563. Acosta and De Orta met in Goa, where they both conducted research into the flora and its medical uses by the local population. The work of Acosta exceeds earlier works due to his systematic approach and personal observation of both East and West Indian plants. The woodcuts were made after his own drawings. Plants depicted include cinnamon, mango, tamarind, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, pineapple, sugarcane and the rubber tree. Pages 417-448 are occupied by the "Tractado del Elephante y de sus calidades", with two full-page woodcut illustrations.