A very presentable restored copy in original cloth.
Darwin described the origins and writing of this book in his autobiography: “On May 15th, 1862, my little book on the Fertilisation of Orchids which cost me ten months’ work, was published: most of the facts had been slowly accumulated during several previous years. During the summer of 1839, and, I believe, during the previous summer, I was led to attend to the cross-fertilisation of flowers by the aid of insects, from having come to the conclusion in my speculations on the origin of species, that crossing played an important part in keeping specific forms constant.”

Life and letters (Vol. III, p. 274) quotes Asa Gray as saying that “if the Orchid-book (with a few trifling omissions) had appeared before the ‘Origin’ the author would have been canonised rather than anathematised by the natural theologians', and notes that a review in the Literary Churchman found only one fault 'that Mr. Darwin's expression of admiration at the contrivances in orchids is too indirect a way of saying, "O Lord, how manifold are Thy works."
Darwin himself wrote to John Murray on September 24th, 1861, “I think this little volume will do good to the ‘Origin’, as it will show that I have worked hard at details'...