United States
£ GBP
This beatifully presented book is an authoritative survey of the floral diversity of Europe, Asia and Africa. It presents more than 260 species of flowers, grasses, herbs, rushes, sedges, trees, shrubs, and aquatic and carnivorous plants, many of which are common species that are easy to identify. Included too are rare and endangered species.
A comprehensive introduction looks at the world of wild flowers and describes the history of their classification. It describes many of the habitats around the world where wild flowers thrive, from mountainous regions to floodplains, and looks at the ways that plants have adapted to survive in their habitats. Included too is all the information you need to be able to identify the key parts of a plant and understand the role each plays in the plant's survival and the evolution of the species. All the key flower shapes, habits, leaf shapes and arrangements are included to aid identification. The life cycle of the plant is also described, from tiny seed dispersed from the parent plant, to seedling, flowering pollinated plant, and finally to seed head.
In the book's main section, the flower directory, the plants are arranged according to plant family. The key features of each main entry are described to help identify each species. Information includes height and spread, flowering time, flower shape, size, petal number, habit and form of the plant, leaf number and shape, pollinator, stem size, seed and fruit details. Each is illustrated with a full-colour botanically accurate profile of the plant, together with identifying details, and accompanying each entry is a specially commissioned map showing where in the world the species originated. In addition up to four other noteworthy species are included in each family. These are presented with their key identifying features. Many of the plants are also illustrated with colour photographs.
