Sponsor a book
Sponsor a book from our collection to support an extraordinary body of botanical knowledge.

Kew’s Library, Art and Archives is one of the most extensive botanical libraries in the world, spanning 2,000 years of plant knowledge and discovery.
With information on the naming, classification and uses of plants, plant ecology, conservation, and the wild plants of the world, it's a treasure trove of plant stories.
Sponsor a book from our collection for a unique way to support this extraordinary body of botanical knowledge.
Plus, the proceeds will help towards preserving all of Kew’s remarkable treasures for the future.
How to sponsor
To sponsor a book, we ask for a donation of £250.
Your personal dedication will be added to our online commemorative register, and you will be able to view the book and bookplate in the Kew Library.
For more information, email commemorative@kew.org or call 020 8332 3645.
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A History of Orchids in South America. Volume 1. Colonial times, from discovery to independence
C. Ossenbach. Koeltz Scientific Books, 2020
This massive volume tells the complex story of botanical exploration related to the Orchidaceae family, in the context of the social, political and economic development of the various countries in South America. Botanical exploration was a dangerous business, and the book features fascinating biographies of over 80 pioneering botanical explorers.
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Illustrated generic names of fungi: etymology, descriptions, classifications and references
M. Ulloa & E. Aguirre-Acosta. American Phytopathological Society, 2019
This superbly illustrated reference book for mycologists features descriptions of 1,700 genera accompanied by over a thousand original watercolours. Its combination of scientific and artistic content makes it a unique publication in its field.
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The Aloes of Arabia
T. McCoy, McCoy Publishing, 2019
The result of 30 years of fieldwork, this offers the first comprehensive coverage of aloes in the Arabian Peninsula, including the island of Socotra. It includes beautifully detailed studies of 50 species, with full-page colour photographs, illustrations and maps.
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The Useful Wild Plants of Texas, the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico: Volume 4
S. Cheatham, M.C. Johnston & L. Marshall, Useful Wild Plants, 2015
This is the latest volume in a planned 12-volume encyclopedia of the economic botany of southern USA and northern Mexico. It discusses the past, present and potential future value of each plant species comprehensively, with nearly 300 illustrations and 175 maps.
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Biology of Genus Boswellia
Ahmed Al-Harrasi et al. Springer, 2019
This book explores the genus Boswellia (family Burseraceae) which is known for its resin, frankincense. Boswellia populations are under threat in the desert regions where they grow. The book is a fascinating study of the cultural and medicinal importance of frankincense, as well as the taxonomy, propagation and conservation of Boswellia species.
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Handbook of poisonous and injurious plants, 3rd ed
L.S. Nelson, M.J. Balick. Springer/New York Botanical Garden, 2020
This work examines hundreds of plants that are potentially toxic and injurious to humans. There are many beautiful, full-colour photos throughout the book to aid with identification. The text covers botanical aspects of the plants, as well as clinical considerations of the toxins and their therapeutic properties.
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Plants, people and culture: the science of ethnobotany, 2nd ed
M.J. Balick, P.A. Cox. Garland, 2020
Two leading ethnobotanists cover the vast range of uses of plants by humans, including for food, medicine, and religious purposes. The book is heavily illustrated in colour, with many of the photographs originating from the authors’ fieldwork in various countries.
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The Orchid flora of Taiwan: a collection of line drawings
Tsan-Piao Lin. National Taiwan University Press, 2019
This reference work comprises over 400 detailed botanical illustrations and over 1,000 pages of scholarly text. The line drawings represent nearly 50 years’ research by the author into the orchid flora of his home country.