Customer Reviews (3)

Native Herbs
Overall a good book, does not contain any pictures.Usefull for information content only.

Cherokee Plants
This book does provide a good list of plants and their uses that would be helpful as a quick reference guide.If you are looking for detail on how to actually make medicine using these plants, then this book will not be very useful.Besides a few Native American myths, this book is mostly bland.It definitely isn't a very entertaining read.

Easy Reference
I found this book to be very informative as well as quite easy to use. If you are looking for a simple and quick reference ...then this is the book for you ! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellently titled book
This is a great introduction to wetlands ecosystems! This book begins with an introduction to what a wetland ecosystem is and how it works, giving examples of wetlands in various parts of the US. Each type of wetland ecosystem is presented with a list of plants and fungi found there described in moderate detail, including their niche in the ecosystem. Plants and fungi that may have special interest to the reader are examined in more detail at the end of this section. This book also covers the year-round changes in this ecosystem, tips on observation, specimen collection, and on keeping a nature journal. A section at the end of the book offers various activities and investigations that the reader may find interesting and helpful in understanding more about this threatened ecosystem.

This book would be a great read for anyone who is interested in nature, wetlands, or being a naturalist. It is not so detailed that beginners would be overwhelmed and not so simplistic that a moderately experienced naturalist would find it too light. I checked it out of the library but immediately ordered my own copy! I especially recommend this title to anyone who is interested in nature journals or just plain learning more about the world around them. ... Read more

Product Description
The Grand Canyon's isolation, great elevational range, and position at the convergence of three North American deserts-the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin-have created unique habitats from an unusual assemblage of plants. Some grow only at seeps and springs, others emerge from cracks in the bedrock, and some live only in the Grand Canyon-for example, Roaring Springs prickly poppy and Grand Canyon flaveria. River and Desert Plants of the Grand Canyonthe first comprehensive field guide devoted to plants that live below the canyon rims, is bursting with beautiful color photographs and detailed line drawings of more than 250 ferns, grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees. Narratives organized by life form and common family name describe each plant and its natural history, and thumbnail photographs arranged by flower color and shape offer a key for easy identification. Essays by contributing experts explore such topics as Grand Canyon ecology, desert-plant adaptations, biological soil crust, plant pollination, invasive species, and domesticated plants of the canyon's indigenous people. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

A clear, helpful guide
I gave this book to my dad for father's day because he lives on 80 acres of wild land in MS, and he had mentioned how he would love to know more about the plants he comes across in the woods. This book is perfect! It is easy to follow and to find the plants you are looking up. This isn't a huge deal, but the book has a little built in ruler on the back cover (how cute!)It's definitely something that a novice can use on their own. I'm excited to hear my dad report back on what he's found.

Valuable and informative
This book is exactly what I was looking for and makes it easy to identify forbs, grasses, and shrubs.It covers both native and non-native species which is important.Good pictures and I feel it is mostly very accurate information.

Best guide yet!
This book is invaluable. It is perfect for leisurely identification as well as research. Amazing descriptions and photographs, sturdy compostion, and great information.

Forest Plants-A accurate description
Forest Plants of the Southeast is good book for just about anyone who is interested in what is out in the woods.I am a professional forester and the book is useful to me to know what the ground cover is.Also the book explains the forage value of specific plants and then you can figure out what wildlife will be present.

Simple to use
This book should be in the collection of anyone interested in wildlife, plant ID, botany or gardening.Quality pictures make identification easy.The information is concise and helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn about the edible and medicinal characteristics of 333 of the most common plant species of the Rockies. This book includes accounts of how the plants were used by Native Americans and early European settlers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Second edible plant guide
I use this book as a field guide along with a second book.They cover the information I need in the mountains.

Fun and Interesting
This book has been really fun to look through. It is really interesting to learn about the plants that are all around us. It certainly covers the plants you will find in the rockies. I love going camping and I always want to know about the plants and wildflowers that I see. This book gives you some good info about these plants. I found the poisonous section especially interesting. You would be surprised by the plants you might have around the house that are toxic.

Amazing
This book is amazing!The descriptions and photos of each plant make identification very accurate. The picture index make this book very easy to use.The edible, medicinal, and warning information was great.The usage and historical information was so interesting that I read the book from cover to cover like a novel.

excellent reference
This is an excellent reference book, although the thumbnail pictures at the start are rather small there are much larger photographs with each entry. Table of contents could probably use some expansion as it just lists each overall type(trees,shrubs, etc...) but the index in back is complete and allows for looking something up rapidly by name.

It travels well
The guide is very useful - but the pictures are a little too small!I wished I could've held the book in my hands first and seen the thumbnail reference pictures.I could have easily looked for something better illustrated.

That being established, if used in conjunction with a thoroughly illustrated home reference, this would be very useful to refer to in the woods. ... Read more

Product Description
A hands-on approach to working with the healing powers of plant spirits

• Explores the scientific basis underlying the practices of indigenous healers and shamans

• Illuminates the matrix where plant intelligence and human intelligence join

• Reveals that partnering with plants is an evolutionary imperative

Indigenous healers and shamans have known since antiquity that plants possess a spirit essence that can communicate through light, sound, and vibration. Now scientific studies are verifying this understanding. Plant Spirit Healing reveals the power of plant spirits to join with human intelligence to bring about profound healing. These spirits take us beyond mere symptomatic treatment to aligning us with the vast web of nature. Plants are more than their chemical constituents. They are intelligent beings that have the capacity to raise consciousness to a level where true healing can take place.

In this book, herbalist Pam Montgomery offers an understanding of the origins of disease and the therapeutic use of plant spirits to bring balance and healing. She offers a process engaging heart, soul, and spirit that she calls the triple spiral path. In our modern existence, we are increasingly challenged with broken hearts, souls in exile, and malnourished spirits. By working through the heart, we connect with the soul and gain access to spirit. She explains that the evolution of plants has always preceded their animal counterparts and that plant spirits offer a guide to our spiritual evolution--a stage of growth imperative not only for the healing of humans but also the healing of the earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Powerful & Comprehensive
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (08/10)

Herbalist Pam Montgomery not only gives us a concise glimpse into origins of disease and the therapeutic use of plant spirits, she gives us ways we can heal our own body, mind and spirit through the healing powers. "Plant Spirit Healing" shows that "when considering our relationship to spirit in our surroundings, we look both internally and externally, separately and together...Through co-creative partnership we step into experiencing spirit in our external surroundings."

In this essence Montgomery draws knowledge from indigenous healers and shamans and shares with us how we can connect with the plant itself and use its energy for healing. Scientific research called Plant Neurobiology is now providing studies of what the ancient healers have known all along.

This comprehensive book guides us to find our own spirit guides through the foundation she presents. The knowledge that we glean from the plants far surpasses our outer wisdom and what we have read or heard.Montgomery gently guides us to use our inner wisdom to create a relationship with the plants and connect with the messages for us.

I found "Plant Spirit Healing" a slow read, not because of publication issues, but because it took me a long time to absorb everything Montgomery says.For me, making a paradigm shift to accept that plants are teachers and we have much to learn wasn't a new concept but one that I didn't make much reference to.After delving into this book I had to stop and search within in order to make the shift I was making a choice to do.

I encourage you, if you haven't already, to consider researching plants and their wisdom. And, "Plant Spirit Healing" is the book to start with.Montgomery will give you, in lay-terms, inspiration to make changes within your own life and reflect the importance of plant life in human survival and healing of our planet.

Plant Spirit Healing
After reading Eliot Cowan's "Plant Spirit Medicine," I think this book is a fine follow-up, considering there are not many books on this subject. For years, I have grown, eaten, and dried different types of herbs, but only now, I am aware there is more to these fine plants than what I knew. I know I will get a lot of use from this book, and now that it is spring, I cannot wait to meet my plant "guides!"

Read Plant Spirit Healing. Live it. BE it!!!
Pam Montgomery's book, Plant Spirit Healing is a beckoning portal, welcoming readers to embark on an infinite journey to restore our bonds to that which is natural, whole and healing. Montgomery takes the reader well beyond "using" plants - or their spirits - as medicine, and into a realm where we enter into relationships with plants' amazing sentience, uniting with their healing capacities on a body, soul and spirit level. We learn that as we do, we can go beyond an herbal protocol, and merge into becoming healing itself.

The information in this book is age-old and timeless, but Pam presents the accumulated wisdom in a way that can still the skeptic in our minds, broaden our perception, and nourish our confidence in our intuitive prowess. Pam teaches us that it is all people's natural birthright to be in relationship with nature, and that through developing kinship with plants - the very beings which sustain all other life forms on our globe - we in turn blossom into an existence that restores our ability to walk a sustainable, healthy, and soulful life path which we were meant to walk.

As a student of the plants for two decades, I've encountered a number of remarkable teachers and authors who share inspiring knowledge and personal experiences. Pam is the brightest blossom among my human teachers. I believe this is a direct reflection of her own close affinity with the plant spirits with whom she co-exists on a daily basis. Her approach is infectious. Pam's teachings are like a Holy Trinity of truths, a Triple Goddess treasure trove, a healing balm for our wounded hearts, souls and spirits. With a contagious exuberance of a young maiden gathering flowers in a summer meadow, Pam entices others to open their own child-like hearts so we can delight in life's nectar. Like a dedicated mother, with a spirit of compassion and driven by an inherent ambition to help humans raise their consciousness on behalf of all life, Pam's mature and practical approach satisfies our adult demand for practicality and groundedness. Like an ancestral grandmother, Pam's words engulf us in an embrace of ancient wisdom that reach into the parts of our souls that have remained connected to source energy.

I recommend reading this book, and more so, recommend living this book.

Fascinating!
This is a beautifully written, very personable book about a subject that all holistic people need to be educated about and begin to factor into our reality.This book enables us to go steps further once we've become aware that all plants are sentient, which lab experimentation has already proven but is still looked at with great doubt by many.The author has learned from Eliot Cowan, the "father" of American plant spirit medicine, as well as from a lifestyle devoted to being a healing woman of Nature.

Plant Spirit Healing
Okay, maybe it's just me but it's been hard to read this book. Not because I do not understand it, I understand what Pam is trying to say just fine. And that's the problem. There is nothing new so far that I have not read in other sources. I went ahead and gave the book three stars, grudgingly.

The problem is boredom. I am well over half way through the book and it is had taken me a long time to get there because I lose interest due to old subject matter being rehashed. She spent the first half of the book pretty much going over information that has been around for awhile now (The Field came out in 2001 and is a good intro into psi subjects. The Field has long been since been superseded by McTaggart's more current books The Intention Experiment and other work). Information on plant consciousness and chakras has also been around for sometime now.

Unless you are young (late teens, early twenties) and/or just starting your studies in psi subjects, eastern practices, etc., or you have never read anything on any of the subjects Pam talks about (a real novice/beginner), you might find this book hard to stay awake through.

What Pam should have done is give a much shorter reference (more like a nod than a full blown talk) to the topics she spends chapters on in the first half of the book and move on to the current application instead. For example say "There are too many references on the subject of plant consciousness but a quick note here .... " or "There is not enough room to cover everything about chakras here but in short...." for example. List some of those references/books in the appendix for those who want to learn more about chakras, plant consciousness, etc. Then move on to what she really seemed to be getting at. Preferably something most readers may not already know or expand on what is currently being done.

Part three should have been the largest section of the book, not the smallest (sadly disappointing). There are so many plants that could have been included (for part three). Instead, everyone is taught, again, how to clear chakras, among other old topics. Shame. There should have been far more original thought to the subject Pam is attempting to share with others.

Maybe part three looks like it might have some interest but so far I can not say I would recommend the book to others.

:: Shrugs:: To bad, it looked like it might be worthy of shelf space. Then I began rereading what I already knew. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents all the information and practical know-how necessary for designing, planting, and maintaining a garden that suits the special needs of young and older gardeners with physical disabilities.Dozens of mail-order sources are provided for the many tools, seeds, plants, and other materials discussed.Amazon.com Review
People who feel that their gardening days are over or thosewho think that enjoying gardening is not an option due to physicallimitations imposed by such conditions as spina bifida, arthritis, orcerebral palsy will be delighted by Janeen Adil's approach to outdoorwork in Accessible Gardening. Adil has done thorough researchinto methods, materials, information sources, and specially designedgardening equipment to provide a new way of looking at gardening. Forexample, if getting down to ground level is a potential problem for agardener, raising planting beds to wheelchair level will bring theground up to the gardener. This useful book will allow thousands ofpeople to get back out into the garden. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Rare Source For Kids Accessible Gardening
Although Adil's book provides excellent information on accessible gardening at any age, it is in the area of gardening with children with disabilities that she excels. It is one of the very few books that even addresses this issue.

She devotes a complete chapter to "Children and Gardening". Because her own child was born with spina bifida, she brings a very knowledgeable approach to gardening with children. The information is both practical in terms of tools, design, and activities. But she also looks at the psychological and physical benefits of gardening for children.

Most books concerning gardening with disabilities usually ignore children's special needs, but this provides aid for parents, care-givers, and educators who want to introduce the joys of gardening to children.

The only reason for 4 stars is that some of the resources provided have changed since its 1994 printing, but the basic usefulness of this book has not diminished at all.

Out of date information regarding accessible gardening
I was disappointed in the content of this book.It merely covers basic gardening.I was hoping it would cover some tips on accessible gardening for people with disabilities.It does mention some ideas on how to achieve that but the techniques they offer is outdated.The techniques they mention usually require costly physical modifications which can be somewhat frustrating to pursue.If you are really interested in gardening but have some physical limitations, there are products out there that are already adapted to your needs.There are many gardening tools that have extended and ergonomically desinged handles at Home Depot.There are also products that are ergonomically desinged if you have arthritis.Its better to do an internet search for these up to date products that spending a dollar on this book.Buy yourself a real gardening book and do an internet search on how to modify your garden and your tools.

See people garden while using the product-specifies sources!
This is a visually appealing book, starting with the cover, which demonstrates a gardener's ability and success in accessible gardening!The paper is brighter than most and the print is clear. This book is designedto give you specific ideas, aids, and the source to obtain them! It is fullof B&W photos that show people gardening, while using the variousproducts! It is a readable book for beginner gardeners. It is a helpfulbook for advanced gardeners that need to modify their gardening forincreased accessibility. They need to print a revised edition to includemore ideas and product update. The initial building of items would probablyrequire help or hiring out.

Excellent for persons with disabilities & love gardening!
Janeen Adil's book is an excellent source for those persons with disabilities and/or those who live or assist persons with special needs.This book's methods can be used both in a private home setting or in an institution's horticultural therapy program ... Read more

Product Description
Plant Life of Kentucky is the first comprehensive account of the native and naturalized ferns, flowering herbs, and woody plants of Kentucky.

Ronald L. Jones has compiled detailed identification keys to families, genera, and species. The plant family descriptions contain information on wildlife and human uses, important weeds, poisonous plants, and medicinal herbs, and the species accounts provide scientific and common names, flowering periods, habitat, physiographic distribution, state and federal designations, and wetland ranking. A total of 179 families, 856 genera, and 2,600 species and infraspecific taxa are included, and nearly 2,000 line drawings illustrate the volume.

The extensive introduction includes information on a variety of topics, including the history of the flora, vegetation types, and current conservation issues.

Plant Life of Kentucky is an authoritative, accessible guide to Kentucky's flora, and an indispensable resource for students, teachers, researchers, wildlife biologists, farmers, county agents, amateur naturalists, land planners, environmental consultants, foresters, and conservationists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent introduction and good comprehensive key to Kentucky plant life...
Jones' book is a much needed contemporary and comprehensive volume to the vascular flora of Kentucky.But be warned, the keys focus mainly on the reproductive stages for identification and the illustrations are somewhat vague.The book has an excellent first hundred or so pages which introduces the history of floristic botany and conservation in Kentucky, the state's physiographic conditions, and different habitats and plant communities.The book also contains an extensive glossary (a big help).All together a valuable addition to the professional or amateur botanist's library. ... Read more

Product Description
At the biological crossroads of the Americas, Costa Rica hosts one of the widest varieties of plants in the wold, with habitats ranging from tidal mangrove swamps, and lowland rainforests, to dry tropical evergreen and deciduous forests.

Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica is a must-have reference guide for beginner and expert naturalists alike. It provides a thorough survey of more than 850 plant species, each entry accompanied by color photos and a concise yet detailed narrative description. Plants are conveniently grouped by the different types of vegetation: palms, tall trees, shrubs, woody vines, herbaceous vines, herbs, grasses and ferns. Along with 1400 color photographs, the guide also includes an illustrated glossary of plant parts, five maps of Costa Rica, and laminated covers for durability in the field. With so much readily accessible information, this book is essential for exploring Costa Rica's common and conspicuous flora from the plants growing along the roadside to the best natural parks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great field guide
Either novice or professional, arguably one of the most comprehensive references to assist you in navigating your way through the endless tropical plant pallet of this beautiful country.As a landscape contractor, an excellent guide to assist me in educating my clients. Great photos help to convey each plants full potential............Love it!! A definite "gotta have!"

Rob Peterson
Uvita, Costa Rica

A "Must Have" Guide
This guide book has been written for "tourists, students and urban-dwelling Costa Ricans" (according to the Preface).It is supurbly well-organized into sections that this audience can identify with.E. g. sections on tall trees,shrubs and small trees, two sections onvines, one on grasses, etc. The sections on trees are organized by color of the flowers, which greatly facilitates use of the book.I am one of the urban-dwelling Costa Ricans, but with a strong interest in re-forestation and rehabilitation of pastures and wet-lands in the Central Valley.While the book is not intended to be complete, it is very comprehensive and a most useful addition to any collection.A "must have" for anyone with an interest in the plants of costa Rica. ... Read more

Product Description
Reveals the confusion that results from misleading popular names of plants and points out the advantages of a sound, scientific approach. These few chapters cover virtually every aspect of the subject of how plants get their names and what those names signify. 11 illustrations.
... Read more

Product Description
Understanding the flowering plants of any region begins with the recognition of families. This remarkable volume, created to serve students, professionals, and other plant enthusiasts, covers 130 temperate to tropical families common in North America with detailed illustrations and modern referenced commentaries. Each family discussion includes a diagnosis and summary of characteristics, distribution data, important economic members, and pollination ecology. The book's most striking feature is Zomlefer's 158 original pen-and-ink plates depicting intricate dissections of 312 species.

The content of the family discussions is geared to readers who have completed one introductory biology course. For readers less familiar with botanical terminology, Zomlefer provides an illustrated glossary of 551 terms with more than 300 drawings. Other important tutorial features are twenty-two detailed charts that compare pertinent characteristics of certain related plant groups and a general chart that summarizes the salient features of the families covered in the text. Both amateurs and professionals will particularly enjoy the chapter on examining, dissecting, and sketching live material. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent, but not for the beginner
This is the last word in botanical family id.

But the vocabulary is very dense, which makes Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary an essential adjunct to it.

Guide to Flowering Plant Families
The book is just fine ... that's why I ordered it ... it's a good book.

However, I thought I was buying the book USED at a less-than-new price.The price I actually paid was the new price.And I did receive a new book, thank you.

My question:Why didn't I pay for and receive the USED book that I wanted?I wonder if there is something in the ordering process that I missed.This is the first book order from amazon.

Great resource for a beginner
I got this book because I needed to learn about plants and I needed a no nonsense, basic introduction to the plant families of the world--not just trees, not just herbs, and not just information from one part of the world.This book is all that and more.The descriptions of each family use botanical terminology, there are clear line drawings of the taxonomically informative characters, and economically important species are listed in each family.Because I am not an expert on plants, I can't comment on the accuracy of the information, but I can say that this book has been a great resource for me, as a novice botanist.My only complaint (and this is a minor one, because this is not supposed to be a field guide) is that I am unfamiliar with many of the families and color photos would really help me to learn to recognize the plants in nature.I highly recommend this book.

Guide to Flowering Plant Families by Wendy B. Zomlefer [Paperback]
*****This should be a five star rating but something happened when I wrote the review so I can't change the star rating.Suffice it to say that this is a very comprehensive book with wonderful black and white illustrations.A very useful guide for students of botanical art or for anyone interested in plants.

Missing Families
Many floras and the USDA Plant Database use Cronquist's classification system.Several families in that system are missing in Thorne's system as used in this book.I would suggest supplementing this book with James Payne Smith's "Vascular Plant Families." ... Read more

Product Description
Expertly researched and photographed, this guide offers an excellent reference book for anyone interested in the Florida landscape. 274 color photos of Florida's more popular turfgrass, bedding plants, perennials, groundcovers, palms, shrubs, trees, vines and interior foliage. Each plant has the scientific name, common name, zone, size, form, flower culture, uses and notes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Seller - Buy with Confidence
Everything was exactly as promised and the order arrived very quickly.I hope I have the privilege of shopping with this seller again in the near future.Thanks for a great deal!BAF

Betrocks Florida Plant Guide
I moved to Florida from NJ. Betrocks Florida Plant Guide has been a life saver for me. The pictures are great. Because I am near the ocean I was very concerned about plants withstanding the salt spray and constant winds. I refer to this book very often and have recommended it to everyone who asks. Great reference.

Betrock's Florida Plant Guide
Betrock has provided a wonderful source for the Florida gardener.This book provides the hardiness zone for each and every plant they review, which is very helpfull for the northern Florida gardener that is trying toplant a tropical looking garden, and does not want to replant each year. There are color pictures of every plant, many of them when they are inbloom, and they are on the same page as the subject matter (no looking allover the book for the pictures).Everything from how to culture, care for,and plant, to special notes specific to each plant.The notes frequentlycover what happens to that tropical plant, that you plant in zone 8 whenyou really should have planted it in zone 9-10, like will it come back fromthe ground in the spring or are you going to have to be looking for thatLowe's/Home Depot reciept.If you are a serious botanist this is not yourbook, but if you are the weekend warrior, that is aspiring for greatness,this is the book for you.You will love the simplicity. ... Read more

Product Description

This textbook covers Plant Ecology from the molecular to the global level. It covers the following areas in unprecedented breadth and depth:

Product Description
Ranging from miniature epiphytic orchids to towering trees, and from mangrove forests lining coastal waterways to high-elevation cloud forests, Costa Rica's rich and varied flora dazzles visitors and botanists alike. Tropical Plants of Costa Rica, the first popular treatment to include plants from all regions of the country, is an indispensable guide to native and exotic species found in the neotropics.

This book is beautifully illustrated with more than 540 full-color photographs taken in the field, each depicting an entire plant or a closer view of flowers, fruits, or seeds. Instructive pen-and-ink drawings of botanical details also accompany many of the accounts. The text clearly explains each plant's identifying characteristics and reveals fascinating facts about its natural history, chemical properties, economic importance, and medicinal and other uses. Sidebar features throughout the book highlight conservation, ethnobotany, and ecology; their topics include unusual applications for plants, distinct attributes of certain plant families, and plants of particular microhabitats. Tropical Plants of Costa Rica is a wonderful resource for naturalists, students, and researchers, as well as both experienced and first-time visitors to Costa Rica and the American tropics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

It was so good they left it there
I got this book for my Mother, who is a naturalist.She said it was the perfect book to take with her to Costa Rica.It was easy to use and set up very well.The care-taker for the house they rented was so impressed with it that they left it for him and future guests.

Tropical Plants of Costa Rica: A Guide to Native and Exotic Flora by Zuchowski
I live in Chiriqui, Panama which is very close to the border with Costa Rica. Considering the scarcity of information about this subject, the book is worth having along with The Field Guide to the Plants of Costa Rica by Gargiullo, Magnuson and Kimball. Both books lack keys and neither have the plantsarranged in taxonomic order. Both have nice color photos but sometimes a good line drawing by a botanical artist is more useful in identifying an unknown species. In any case if you are interested in the flora of this area I would buy both of these books.

Wonderful, but too large general field use
This is an outstanding publication.I was able to identify virtually everything I saw on our course to Costa Rica.I also appreciated the natural history under comments.

My only complaint is the weight of the book.If you are anything like me you will likely have other field guides, birds, herpes, etc.This book is pretty hefty and when added up makes travel cumbersome.

Tropical Plants of Costa Rica
Willow Zuchowski and Turid Forsyth have created a beautiful overview of Costa Rican vegetation.The photography is wonderful, giving enough detail of individual plants that readers get an accurate sense of what they are looking at.The text has an interesting diversity of information, ranging from plant taxonomy to medicinal uses to pollination strategies.I used the book with a Tropical Botany class, and the students not only loved the book, but found it to be an excellent size which is easy to carry in the field or store in a backpack.The habitat descriptions are well-written and provide the reader with a good idea of what to expect in different parts of Costa Rica.

A very handy plant guide for visitors to Costa Rica
I picked up a copy of this guide (published in San Jose by Zona Tropical) at La Selva last year and consider it a worthy addition to the small library I carry in Costa Rica. I would recommend it as the most useful single volume work on Costa Rican plants.

The guide is aimed at the amateur rather than the professional botanist: photographs are the prime means of identification, plants are presented out of family order (more below) and there are no keys. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to identify a good many of the country's commoner plants using this guide.

The order of the plants is:-

1. colourful-flowering trees
2. non-colourful-flowering trees
3. roadside and garden exotics
4. crop plants
5. living fences (so characteristic of Costa Rica)
6. special habitats, e.g. dry forests, cloud forests, beaches & mangroves
7. quintessentially tropical groups, e.g. bromeliads, palms & orchids
8. grasses

There is emphasis on those plants that are likely to be most conspicuous to the visitor. This often means a bias towards exotic species rather than natives. However, this does mean that the book is useful outside Costa Rica and I will be referring to it throughout the American tropics.

Once a plant is identified a comments section provides a host of useful information.

Well worth the price! I will definitely be taking it back with me on my next trip.

Chris Sharpe, 3 August 2007. ISBN: 0801473748 ... Read more

Product Description

This, the first volume of the ‘Integrated Management of Plant Pests and Diseases’ book series, presents general concepts on integrated pest and disease management. Section one includes chapters on infection models, resurgence and replacement, plant disease epidemiology and effects of climate change in tropical environments. The second section includes remote sensing and information technology. Finally, the third section covers molecular aspects of the subject.

Product Description

Plants that trap and eat animals: an amazing phenomenon that has inspired awe since before the days of Darwin. The victims may be flies and butterflies, small crustaceans, or even vertebrates the size of rats.

Lured into the danger zone by optical, tactile, and olfactory strategies, the prey succumb to ingenious traps and face their doom. But unlike plants that temporarily catch insects for pollination, the true carnivores go considerably further: they digest them for the nutrients they need to survive in extremely inhospitable sites on land and in water.

Customer Reviews (3)

Carnivorous Plants Book
This book is fantastic. I was looking for a book with with the ecology of carnivorous plants, their physiology, and their cultivation. I got all the information I needed. :) Great book with great pictures.

The Best Comprehensive Guide to Carnivorous Plants
This book covers all the basic aspects of Carnivorous Plants from their taxonomy, through ecology, physiology and evolution to how to grow them. I would say it is the one essential text for all enthusiasts. The text is illustrated with many amazing photographs and micro-photographs. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It even makes a fascinating coffee table book for the uninitiated.

There are Better Carnivorous Plants Books than this one
I will give credit to the authors on a well researched, biologically detailed book that covers the different Carnivorous Plant families. I was looking forward to getting and reading this book but was disappointed after reciving it.

I feel this is a good introductory book on the topic so if you know nothing at all about Carnivorous Plants then a purchase may be all right for you. Most of the material in the book is found in other books of CPs. So if you have other books on CPs that you like, then this becomes redundant.

I am very spoiled by two books in my collection on the topic of CPs. The first is the SAVAGE GARDEN by Peter D'Amato, and the second is PITCHER PLANTS OF THE AMERICAS by Stewart McPherson.I recommend both of these instead of the one I'm reviewing. Between the two of these you should have all you need on cultivation, biology, evolutionary trends, and notes on many species of Carnivorous Plants. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive survey of the plants that provide food, beverages, spices, and flavorings, this book will serve as an invaluable reference to gardeners, ethnobotanists, nutritionists, culinary professionals, dieticians, and food enthusiasts. This scientifically accurate guide will allow them to identify all the major plant-derived foods and flavors, research culinary uses, and understand their dietetic and nutritional properties. Introductory chapters cover the various categories of plant use, including cereals, pulses (legumes), nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, sugar plants, beverages, spices, and flavorings. The core of the volume is an encyclopedic description of more than 350 food and flavor plants in use worldwide, with over 1000 color photographs. This accessible, pictorial guide is a concise source of practical information, not readily available elsewhere, and should be on every food enthusiast’s bookshelf. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Food Plants of the World
This is a really great book, quickly broadens your horizons & is packed with a multitude of useful information - listing history of food use, nutritional value, cultivation & uses, as well information of where it originates from.
Book came very quickly in Brand New Condition.

love to know
I just love this book....I love sitting down and trying something new...or pondering something I've eaten a hundred times and thinking "I wonder what plant this is from, where it grows, what else is used...etc". So, I open up this book and find all sorts of fascinating info about the item in question....then just for fun....peruse through it and find more and more bits of intriguing info on hundreds of different and delectable edibles.

Food Plant Wonder
This is an amazing book with a lot of wonderful and helpful information as well as pictures. I have enjoyed it very much.

An Important Guide
I recently went on the Spring 2009 Voyage of the Semester at Sea program, and found this book during the trip. It was really helpful in supplementing information we were given in pre-port lectures, by guides and locals, and in diplomatic briefings, because it includes some of the most commonly found food plants of a wide variety of countries around the world. It was nice to figure out what I had been eating at each of the ports we visited, and to look up things I might like to try at future ports in advance. I was able to find more information on the !Nara plant I saw and learned about in the Namib Desert in the nutrition tables located in the back of the book, and what I learned gave me cultural insights into the country: a plant so rich in nutrients, among so many other valuable natural resources in such a seemingly barren place would explain the Namibian people's love for their land. Additionally, this book offers interesting and important information to anyone interested in botany and anthropology. Each plant profile has detailed pictures that often depict the foliage and growth habit of the species along with its edible parts and related species. And the descriptions include a history of the plant: where it originated and which culture developed it (if it was not naturally occurring)/cultivated it the most, as well as how it is currently used and how it contributes to the economy of the country it inhabits. Finally, of course, this book is great for people interested in nutrition; the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, properties, and calorie contents are provided for almost every plant in the book, and the whole vague line between pulses, nuts, and grains is explained. The South African nationality of the author is evident in the book, because a good number of the plants listed are found in the Cape Province Region; his soft spot for his homeland gives us an interesting glimpse into its food culture, adding further interest to this publication.

Pretoria's Answer to Italy
Does a skilled botanical artist better capture leaves, fruits, and flowers than a gifted photographer? Ever since the first printed herbals appeared in the Renaissance, this question remains as reframed by each era's technologies, and the publication in 2005 (by Briza in Pretoria) of van Wyk's Food Plants of the World continues the debate, now five centuries old. Often cited for it's sparklingly precise paintings, the Francesco Bianchini, et al., Complete Book of Fruits & Vegetables (Italian: I Frutti della Terra [Arnaldo Mondadori pub., 1973; English trans. pub. US 1976]), now is challenged by the refulgent clarity of the color photography in van Wyk's inclusive assembly of botany's edible varieties from Ziziphus jujuba ("Chinese date") to Abelmoschus esculentus (okra), and van Wyk is the better by far. Food Plants of the World not only identifies very carefully each species with instantly comprehended triplicate images (natural settings of growth, flower/fruit/seed/rhizome/root, and 'finished' product), but also supplies up-to-date phytochemistry, dietetics, and the essential details of the physiology and biochemistry immediately applicable to nutrition, diet, and the maintenance of a healthy "balanced" intake of food. Multilingual nomenclatures (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Malay, Portuguese, and Spanish) accompany the English and Linnaean Latin, so that vegans world-wide can immediately use this volume to key their own cultures and how the multitudinous adaptations from one continent to another characterise modern 'national' cuisines. Van Wyk also leads any reader into the best of the vast literature on the topic ("Further Reading," pp. 446-447), including publications by nutritional scientists throughout the world. A detailed index (pp. 450-480 [four columns per page]) concludes this most satisfying reference work. Food Plants of the World is one of those rare volumes that provides basic information on the great majority of botanical foodstuffs and is a reliable gateway into the enormous body of writing in several languages on this, an essential facet of human existence. ... Read more

Product Description
The Galpagos are home to a wide-ranging assortment of unusual plants and animals. The islands became famous as the site of Charles Darwin's research leading to his theory of evolution by natural selection, and their magnificent flora and fauna continue to draw visitors from around the world. Based on the author's sixteen years of fieldwork and featuring his exceptional photography, Flowering Plants of the Galpagos is the first accessible, in-depth yet compact guide to the plant life of the area. An invaluable resource for tourists, natural history enthusiasts, and professionals, the book: introduces the botanical history of the islands and their varied ecological zones allows easy identification of 436 flowering plants (77 families, 192 genera, and 390 species) covers endemic plants found exclusively on the islands; native plants, which grow on the Galpagos and elsewhere; and exotic plants present as a result of human actions offers thorough accounts of the plants which give the scientific, common, and family names; range; islands inhabited; habitat; description; and additional notes of interest is richly illustrated with 266 color photographs of flowering plants and 117 of plant pollinators, vegetation zones, non-flowering plants, and the islands themselves organizes species by form, leaf arrangement, and flower color and includes descriptive plant drawings to aid in identificationprovides a map of the Galpagos and a list of plants likely to be seen at popular tourist sites ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

User friendly guide.
I found the "Flowering Plants of the Galapagos" to be a very useful and user-friendly flower guide.The discussion on how to use the guide was thorough yet simple enough for the botanical novice to understand the information.The "Introduction" section was helpful in acquanting the user with the general characterists of the archipelago and the vegetation zones of the islands.This section not only assists the reader in knowing where specific plants may be located, but also gives some insight into the ecology of the plants.I found the key to be one of the most straight-forward and user-friendly that I have used.Even the most botanically challenged individual could easily work through the logical progression of choices offered in the key.The amount of information given with each plant is also a positive attribute to this guide book.The author clearly outlines the range of the plants and lists the islands in which the plants inhabit, which is a very useful piece of information.The habitat is given along with a thorough description of the plant.Lastly, the additional comments offer a nice touch of the plants natural history, use, or some other piece of interesting trivia.I thought the author did a superb job of presenting the amazing flora of the Galapagos in a simple, easy to understand fashion that any visitor could appreciate.Lastly, the quality of the photos truly add to the attractiveness and effectiveness of the book.

Recommended
A wonderful book for botanists or any traveler heading to the Galapagos. It covers 436 flowering plants and provides photos of more than half. It also introduces the botanical history of the islands and their variedecological zones. Its boasts clear text and some exceptional pictures.

A Must for Flower Lovers Everywhere
I have been intrigued for years by the plants, animals and birds of the Galapagos. Not only have I found the perfect field guide for flowering plants written by Dr. McMullen but, in addition, this book will serve adual purpose as a guide for my own visit and that visitors to my home willfind it on display among my favorite and frequent references. The picturesare beautiful with detail and clarity. Keep up the great work Dr. McMullenand I hope your obvious hard work and labor continue to bear fruit.

A book long overdue
This is a GREAT book! The descriptions are concise and accurate, and the photographs are excellent as well. This guide is clearly head and shoulders above all other existing literature in terms of utility. If you can onlybuy one book about the islands, this is it.

A must for any visitor, naturalist, or fan of flora!
It would have been a lot easier to have been a naturalist guide in the Galapagos if we had only had this book.This is a treat and a treasure!The plant life of these incredible islands has been overshadowed by theantics of the wildlife and threats of El Nino.They can now take frontstage with this useful guide that even a novice will find easy to use.Thepictures are beautiful and the descriptions accurate.For those that usethis book, they will introduced to a special world that has been ignored. Conley - you have made all Galapagos Guides very happy! ... Read more

Product Description
For hands-on activities involving parts of a plant, trees, flowers, and seeds that connect science with real life, choose Plants. This book, designed with good science and easy teaching in mind, covers these concepts:
a plant is a living thing
plants have many parts
each part of a plant has a special function
the fruit of a flowering plant contains seeds
seeds contain new plants
seeds travel in many ways
plants change as they grow
plants need food, water, and light to grow
people need plants for food and oxygen
not all plants reproduce from seeds made by flowers

Activities help children practice skills in: observation, analysis, communication, making comparisons, prediction, critical thinking, and recording. Areas of study address major themes such as: change, structure, function, cycles, diversity, and cause and effect.

Samples of the hands-on learning experiences:
conduct experiments and record results to find out what plants need to grow
look inside a seed and then make an "Inside a Seed" book
plant bean seeds in a growing bag and keep a growth log
experiment to prove that plants give off oxygen

Contains many reproducible, ready-to-go resources, such as record sheets, logbook forms, minibooks, and picture cards. Illustrated throughout with fun, yet accurate line art. All 80 pages perforated for easy removal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Homeschooling Resource
I bought this for a Plants unit for my homeschooled children (K and 2nd).It really worked well for us, bringing interesting experiments, high-interest information, and easy-to-follow directions (a must for the busy homeschooling mom!)The children get to see first-hand what the inside of a seed looks like, the parts of plants, and many other things.
I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of turning this book into a science unit for our homeschool as well as the interesting activities within.Too many "made-for-school" lesson plans seem to be watered down, boring, or difficult to pull of in your kitchen or living room with multi-aged children.This one, however, meets with my approval, and I am looking forward to using other books in this series. ... Read more

Product Description
Written for ranchers, landowners, 4-H-ers, veterinarians, and anyone interested in wild or ornamental plants, Toxic Plants of Texas is a complete, practical guide to 106 of the most common poisonous plants in Texas.

In a handy, well-illustrated format, experts Charles R. Hart, John C. Reagor, Bruce B. Carpenter, A. Catherine Barr, and Tam Garland provide descriptions of each plant, explaining where it grows, what makes it toxic, and how much an animal must eat to be affected. They also offer a primer on different kinds of poisoning, lists of symptoms, and strategies for treatment and prevention. An overview of integrated toxic plant management summarizes an economical and environmentally sound approach to reducing livestock losses by controlling toxic plants. At the back of the book, a field key cross-references animal symptoms with plant species.

An abundance of excellent color photographs aid in the identification of each plant's toxic features, including the flowers, fruits, pods, and roots. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Toxic Plants of Texas
Wanted to share this review by Sheri Hansen.

Book Review: Toxic Plants of Texas and Brush & Weeds of Texas Rangelands
By Sheri Hansen

If you've ever looked down at a weed growing on your property and thought "what IS that?", the Texas AgriLife Extension has two resources you can use. Not only do these books, published by Texas A&M University Press, help land managers identify weed species, they also provide direction and advice on control options.

"It all starts with proper identification. If you can't identify a plant, you can't implement an effective management strategy," says Charles Hart, Professor and Texas Extension Range Specialist. "That is why we wrote Toxic Plants of Texas and Brush & Weeds of Texas Rangelands."

Although the books reference vegetation found across Texas, many of the species and the control options are relevant to states across the Southern and Western U.S. The books detail more than 400 invasive weeds including mesquite, juniper, prickly pear, Chinese tallowtree, saltcedar and giant reed as well as discuss well-tested methods that can be used to control unwanted weeds across the region.

"Looking at pictures of plants from different areas can help you get a broader frame of reference for what a plant might look like in different habitats," Hart said. "This is great for identifying weeds in different regions and adapting vegetation control plans for a variety of areas."

Toxic Plants of Texas is an important guide for livestock owners, as it helps match livestock illnesses with common toxic plant species.

"As a livestock owner you need to know how to recognize the clinical signs of an animal that has ingested a toxic plant and understand the treatment methods," Hart says. "But livestock owners can actually protect animals from getting sick in the first place, with simple weed identification and management tactics. Applying strategies to prevent poisonings can reduce potential livestock losses before it even becomes an issue."

Brush & Weeds of Texas Rangelands complements the Chemical Weed and Brush Control: Suggestions for Rangeland (B-1466) herbicide recommendation guide published by Texas AgriLife Extension Service, which suggests herbicides for controlling brush and weeds, and can help in the development of a brush management program.

"Brush & Weeds of Texas Rangelands provides a description, identifying characteristics, the geographic distribution and a habitat description of each species, along with color photographs of the plant and its distinguishing features," Hart said. "It's great when coupled with the B-1466; we call it the bible for recommended herbicide treatments for Texas noxious and invasive species."

Jim Crosby, BASF Sales Representative, has years of experience battling weeds in Texas and fully supports the Extension's role in furthering weed education.

"Texas AgriLife Extension Service is a nationally recognized leader in providing educational resources for land managers and advancing weed science in Texas," Crosby said. "For our customers, we recommend using university experts for the research that forms a foundation for control solutions, and the data compiled here is a great example of that kind of work."

Good deal lucille
This book has great pictures and is easy to use and look up information. You can even find a toxic plant by the livestock symptoms.

great info
This book is very specific about what animals each plant is toxic and how toxicity shows up in that animal.It gives tips on how to help that animal and when to call the vet.The opposite page usually shows three views of the plant being talked about - the bloom, the whole plant, and the leaves.
This information is available online, but is much handier in book form.

Native Plants of Texas
This is a marvelous book for anyone interested in the native plants of Texas. The color pictures are superb. This book covers many of the common Texas range plants that are not often considered toxic except when eaten by livestock to excess. It also describes the really poisonous ones in detail with clear photos. ... Read more