ACOSTA (Cristóvão da). Della historia, natura et virtu delle Droghe Medicinali, & altri Semplici rarissimi, che vengono portati dalle Indie Orientali in Europa... Venice, Francesco Ziletti, 1585. In-4, vellum (modern binding). 26 ff. o.b., 342 pp. (no p. 297-98, pagination error with no lack of text) - 47 in-text woodcuts and numerous typographical ornaments. First edition of the Italian translation of this famous treatise by the Portuguese physician and naturalist Cristobal d'Acosta (1515-1594). The work was originally published in Spanish in 1578. It is one of the earliest and most important texts of its time on the plants and drugs of Asia and the Caribbean. It is illustrated with 45 beautiful woodcut illustrations of plants, executed by the author from life, with great precision to enable identification, as well as beautiful initials and headbands. The last part of the book is a treatise on the Asian elephant, considered to be the first monograph on this species, illustrated with 2 plates that are among the first printed representations of the animal. Marginal foxing at the beginning and end of the volume, partly lined. Sabin 114 - Durling 1066 - Pritzel 13.