Chapter 6. Botanical Research
The October 1890 edition of the Botanical Magazine featured writing by Yatabe, titled "A Few Words of Explanation to European Botanists". This short notice, written in English, declared his intent to begin describing new plants without relying on Western academics, based on the specimens and literature he had gathered at the university so far. In fact, Yatabe published a series of papers in the same journal, and at the same time, began to publish books such as Iconographia Florae Japonicae (or Descriptions with Figures of Plants Indigenous to Japan) and Nihon Shokubutsu-hen (A Compilation of Japanese Plants).
However, just as he was getting underway, he was abruptly ordered by the university to suspend his work. For Yatabe, who had been doing his best to participate in international botanical research, this dashed his hopes, and he was forced to leave the work to future generations.
「新たな日本のガンピ属植物」/“A New Japanese Wikstroemia”
Manuscript for a paper by Yatabe describing a new species of plant, wikstroemia albiflora.
グレーに宛てた手紙/Letter to Asa Gray
Asa Gray was a well-known botanist in the United States. In this letter, Yatabe offers to exchange printed materials, principally the Botanical Magazine.
『日本植物図解』図版校正刷/Proofs of Iconographia Florae Japonicae
Believed to be galley proofs of the first volume of Iconographia Florae Japonicae (Descriptions with Figures of Plants Indigenous to Japan) (1891). Includes corrections written by Yatabe. The original illustration was drawn by painter Kuwataro Watanabe.
『日本植物編』草稿/Manuscripts of Nihon Shokubutsu-hen
Yatabe left behind multiple drafts of the manuscript for Nihon Shokubutsu-hen (A Compilation of Japanese Plants) (1900), which was published posthumously and could be considered his seminal work. This is thought to be one of the earliest drafts.
『日本植物編』挿図（65～79番）/Illustrations for Nihon Shokubutsu-hen, Nos. 65-79
Yatabe also left behind a large number of what are believed to be the original illustrations used with the text of Nihon Shokubutsu-hen (A Compilation of Japanese Plants). The artist who created these images is thought to be the painter Ikuma Nishino.