floraverhandelingen

Floraverhandelingen (singular floraverhandeling) are botanical treatises that describe the flora of a region or a group of flowering plants. The term is Dutch and translates roughly to flora treatise. Such works combine taxonomic descriptions with notes on habitat, distribution, and sometimes cultivation, uses, or medicinal applications. They are often illustrated, sometimes with plates or drawings to aid identification.

Historically, floraverhandelingen arose with the rise of natural history in the early modern period, particularly in the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking areas. They were produced by scholars, physicians, and horticulturists connected to botanical gardens and expanding networks of plant collecting. The format usually includes a systematic arrangement by genera and species, Latin and vernacular names, morphological descriptions, and plates or woodcuts. Over time, they reflect evolving taxonomic concepts, botanical nomenclature, and regional flora knowledge.

Floraverhandelingen contributed to the documentation and standardization of plant knowledge, supported horticulture and agriculture, and laid groundwork for later national floras and botanical atlases. They provide insight into regional biodiversity, language, and print culture of their era.

Prominent examples include the Dutch Flora Batava, a major illustrated flora describing plants of the Low Countries and bordering regions. Similar works appeared in other Dutch-speaking contexts and in neighboring areas, forming part of a broader European tradition of regional floras.