Flora Atlantica was the result of two years of travel and scientific exploration in Algeria and Tunisia by René Desfontaines. His reputation as a botanist was well established when he was elected to the Academy of Sciences in 1782 and he was chosen for the expedition in that same year. Desfontaines explored a large section of North Africa from the seacoast to the Atlas Mountains, and brought back to Paris a very large collection of plants. In Flora Atlantica, published in two volumes (1798-1799), there are description of 1,520 species and more than three hundred genera. Many of the uncolored line engravings, which are numbered 1-261, are from paintings by P.J. Redouté and his younger brother, Joseph-Henri.