The flower is a dominant motif in Mughal art. Its importance begins in the reign of Jahangir where it first appears as a subject for painting. These initial floral miniatures emerge as a fully developed art form with no obvious antecedents. The floral style is consolidated during the reign of sl1ah Jahan and it is a combination of naturalism and stylization with an emphasis on technique. From this style the floral miniature goes through a number of changes with the end result being a decorative pattern style at the expense of naturalism. The object of this thesis is to trace the origins and development of Mughal floral painting from the mid 17th century to the end of the 18th century. The thesis begins with an analysis of the stylistic development of floral forms within the landscape of the miniatures. This covers the period from Akbar to Aurangzeb and includes a discussion on Persian influence. The floral paintings of Mansur and the D-ar-a Shuk~oh Album form the basis of my analysis of the Mughal floral style. Chapter 2 analyses these floral paintings in terms of their botanical accuracy and distribution and their relationship to Akbar period floral forms. This later comparison reveals a marked change in style. This change is accounted for in Chapter 3 where the influence of European herbals and their posssible dissemination in India is discussed. During the period covered by this thesis the Mughal floral miniature goes through four stages of stylistic development which are catalogued in Chapter 4. The final chapter considers the reasons for the importance of the floral motif within political, sociological and religious contexts.