Product Description
In a mythical world where time is a liquid that falls as rain upon the land, young Shanleya paddles her canoe out to the tree islands to learn the plant traditions of her people. Each island is home to a separate family of plants and an unforgettable Guardian with lessons to teach about the identification and uses of those plants.Shanleya's Quest is a truly unique educational book that presents botanical concepts and plant identification skills in an easy and fun metaphorical format for children as well as for adults who are young at heart.The book begins with a creation myth that parallels evolutionary concepts, where life begins as bubbles in a puddle of soup under the radiance of Father Sun and the gentle glow of Mother Moon. The evolutionary tree of life becomes a literal part of the story, buried up to its branch-tips (the "islands") in an ocean of Time that just keeps getting deeper and deeper. This is the world that Shanleya explores by canoe, learning the essential characteristics of closely related plants on each island she visits.Readers young and old can join Shanleya's Quest, learning the patterns to correctly identify more than 45,000 species of plants to their proper families. The Quest will change the way you see the world, enabling you to experience nature in a new and magical way that you probably never imagined possible.Written by outdoor educator Thomas J. Elpel, author of Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification. Wonderfully illustrated by Gloria Brown, who blended botanical accuracy with fantasy to produce artwork that both captivates and educates! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good, but...
I really liked the idea for this book.A modern-day myth with accurate botanical information?Sign me up!
Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with the execution.The writing style is somewhat stiff and repetitive, which I find off-putting.However, since most kids (or adults, for that matter) aren't as picky as I am, they probably won't mind.It's still a cool book!

Introducing young readers to the complex and diverse world of plant life
Shanleya is a young girl who lives in a world where Time is a liquid that falls as rain. When Shanleya paddles her canoe out to the "Tree Islands" to learn the plant traditions of her people, she learns that each island is home to a separate family of plants, and encounters an unforgettable Guardian with lessons to teach her about the identification and uses of those plants. A mythic, fairytale-like picturebook story for young readers, Shanleya's Quest: A Botany Adventure For Kids Ages 9 To 99 is as entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, introducing young readers to the complex and diverse world of plant life -- and how to correctly identify various species of plants. There are even bits of sage advice along the way such as "In our national parks it is illegal to pick flowers. Please leave them for others to enjoy!". Deftly written by Thomas Elpel (whose informative text is enhanced with the artwork of Gloria Brown), Shanleya's Quest is confidently recommended for school and community library collections.
... Read more

Product Description
This definitive book represents the life's work of the late Richard Evans Schultes, one of the fathers of modern ethnobotany and the greatest plant explorer of our age, including nearly 50 years of field research in the Northwest Amazon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Entheogens: Professional Listing
"The Healing Forest" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy." http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

Excellent
Technical, but excellent. Photos are stunning ... Read more

Product Description
Unlike most books on economic botany this is not anencyclopedic listing of plants and their uses. Instead it is anattempt at understanding why plants are used. Economic botany is amultidisciplinary study and the purpose of this book is to provide anintroduction to some of the scientific principles, processes, andpractices involved. The subjects discussed include the role ofeconomic and ethnobotany, plant collecting, taxonomy and nomenclature,the environment and the physiological, morphological and anatomicaladaptations of the plant thereto, plant conservation, plant breedingand propagation, the marketing of crops and crop products, basic humanand animal nutrition, human and animal foods, desirable insect foods,timber and wood products, fuel, fibres, biochemicals, human andveterinary medicine, plant toxins, lower plants and their products,the role of plants in ameliorating the environment, and the socialuses of plants. it is hoped that this book will appeal to both thestudent and practitioner, irrespective of their primary discipline. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outdated, myopic and not useful
This expensive paperback in not illustrated. While Prof. Wickens has a distinguished history at Kew, his sense of economics of plants, understanding of plant utilization and the hard facts of introducing little used methods or plants is uninspiring. Specific points are the introduction of urban hydroponics in Cuba, the roll of coppicing and pollarding for fuel, the indisputable utility of commercial hemp for food, fiber and fuel, that all seem to have escaped his notice. The statement, "The amino acids are a large class of organic compounds containing both the carboxyl, COOH, and the amino, NH2 group" while technically correct is naive. The utility of the book is enhanced by donnish word origins but otherwise has little to recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This full-color atlas includes photos of botanical specimens, utilizing light, transmission, and electron microscopy. Its also contains macro-photography of whole specimens, microscope parts and techniques, and biological tests commonly used in the laboratory. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

almost too good for the serious botany student
for the serious botany student.I loved using this in botany lab and then for 2 semesters as a lab assistant , helping out students with questions, slides, etc ..This book was very helpful to me since it is clearly labeled images of slides and plants and came in handy for just about every lab.The book was almost too good and some made the mistake of purchasing and basically copying the book when it came to their labs and then practicum time came and they fell on their faces... that being said , if u use this book as a supplemental study guide to your regular botany course work, u will excel and have a much better understanding..

Love it!
I'm a Biology Professor. I bring this altas to class when I teach plants and the students love it. It has great colored pictures, lots of labeling and an excellent reference when they look at slides. ... Read more

Product Description
This exciting entry into the Botany market is intended for non-science majors, but can be used to teach Introductory Botany at virtually any level. Key features include a stunning art program and engaging writing style from this well-respected author team. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent tool for teaching and research.
The study of Peruvian flora have been the theme for several complex and broad studies as well as expeditions since Bentham & Hooker and Ruiz & Pavon in the eighteen century, untill McBride in 1936. Dozens of outstanding botanists have made contributions to the knowledge of this flora which is still incomplete: McBride, Weberbauer, Weddell, Ferreyra, Cuatrecasas, Smith and Gentry among others. The outcome of this is a huge amount of information and classification which is always not so easy to deal with.

The merit of this book is try to compile all the knowledge of the peruvian plants in a catalogue sorted by families, genera, location, synonimia, and holotype information (mainly herbaria availability). Actually the Brako's effort is the best one until now, to ordering all the information about peruvian flora, becoming as an excellent tool for herbarium and plant material management and as a good support for researchers not only of peruvian flora, but South American flora too.

This contribution is not only this at all. The authors Brako and Zarucchi gift us with a short overview study about peruvian flora, its distribution and composition by Alwyn Gentry, which is an excellent material for all of us who are related with teaching and education.

Surely, The Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru, is not that kind of book who someone expect to read complete, but the kind who everyone interested of peruvian flora would like to have. Its objetive is not make a full description of peruvian plants, families and orders, neither give us excellent pictures and illustrations. Its objetive is make the complete checklist about what we know now. And certainly, it does. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1887.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
Increasingly, forensic scientists use plant evidence to reconstruct crimes. The forensic aspects of this subject require an understanding of what is necessary for botanical evidence to be accepted as evidence in our judicial system. Bringing together the latest information into a single, easy to use resource, this book introduces the basic science underlying the emerging field of forensic botany. The contributors discuss recognition of pertinent plant evidence at a crime scene, appropriate collection and preservation of the material, maintenance of a chain of custody, and understanding scientific testing methods, validation of new forensic technique, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A well written volume on a very broad subject
Coyle has put together a very concise and comprehensive introductory work to a timely subject.While some background in science or forensics is useful before diving into this book, being an expert is by no means necessary.While I won't go so far as to call this volume an "easy read", it is far more understandable to the layperson then some other materials I have read on this subject.

Chapter by chapter, the authors build on the basics of plant science, physiology, and genetics to bring the reader up to a working understanding of the world of forensic botany.This is book is an excellent primer for folks who have a basic knowledge of plant science or forensic science and are interested in how the two tie together.

The example cases do so much to make the rest of the material understandable.I only wish that there were more of these cases.

To the authors - bravo and thank you! ... Read more

Product Description
Children love to know the names of everything they see, including the parts of the whole. These standard Montessori teaching materials (in the 3-6 and 6-12 classrooms) present external anatomy in a powerful way: by isolating each key part in full color while the rest of the botanical specimen is shown in muted shades of gray. Each of the four packets in this set (dicot flower, monocot flower, leaf, and tree) contain 3-part cards, a wonderful literacy-building teaching material. Use the photo-only card as flash cards in vocabulary lessons. Use all 3-parts with children who are beginning to read single words. Children read the separate word label, match it to the picture, and then check their own work with the labeled cards. This makes it possible for beginning readers to practice reading anytime, without help. Approx. card sizes are as follows: control cards (3 2/3 x 4 1/3), matching picture cards (3 2/3 x 3), and word cards (3 2/3 x 1 1/8). All cards have rounded corners, are laminated with a heavy 5 mil non-toxic laminate, and come in a reclosable bag for easy storage. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is an in-depth examination of the opium poppy--the first medicinal plant known to mankind. In Opium Poppy: Botany, Chemistry, and Pharmacology, author L. D. Kapoor provides readers with a comprehensive resource on poppy production from seed to alkaloid. He explores the opium poppy?s origin, distribution, chemistry, and uses and abuses from ancient civilizations through the present day. He covers plant and seed production and crop improvement and explores in detail the chemical and pharmaceutical by-products of the opium poppy.

The book begins with a historical overview of the origin and use of opium poppy in ancient civilizations such as Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. Chapters that follow contain detailed information on:

• botanical studies
• cytogenics and plant breeding
• agronomy, including insect and pest control measures
• physiological and anatomical studies
• chemical and pharmacological aspects of opium alkaloids
• biosynthesis and physiology of opium alkaloids
• the occurrence and role of alkaloids in plants
• the evaluation of analgesic actions of morphine in various pain models in experimental animals
  
  Opium Poppy: Botany, Chemistry, and Pharmacology is a useful reference for professionals and students of pharmacy, botany, chemistry, medicine, and pharmacology who need a better overall understanding of this ancient plant and its (potential) modern usage.

Customer Reviews (4)

Very Good Reference Material
Well written overview on the botany, agricultural aspects, biochemistry of the opium poppy.A nice one-stop shop for this information.I considered the pharmacology section to be the weakest.Helpful for those looking for a good summary of the basic scientific aspects of the plant as considered by various disciplines.Not a source for history, politics, global production, industrial aspects or usage.The inexpensive printing of the book is a minor disappointment.

Useful With Many Shortcomings
Note that this book is written for scientists. It will not appeal to readers looking for an introduction to the opium poppy, nor those who are not fairly well educated in chemistry and biology. For those looking for something "easier", I would recommend, "Opium for the Masses" or perhaps better, "Flowers in the Blood".

This book shines in its discussions of poppy horticulture and agricultural. The literature in these areas is highly contradictory and Kapoor does an excellent job synthesizing what is known. Chapter 4 (Agricultural Studies) is well worth the price of the entire book. The thorough discussion of opium poppy botany is also good. For an understanding of the entire poppy family, however, Christopher Grey-Wilson's "Poppies" is far better.

Kapoor fails in his discussions of opium alkaloid pharmacology and chemistry. These discussions are almost random in structure and are far from thorough in the research cited. Whenever an individual alkaloid is discussed (even when discussing its role in plant development), the book becomes muddy. This is not surprising, I suppose, because Kapoor is clearly most interested in the plant itself.

Too often, Kapoor does not actually synthesize the research in a particular area. Instead, he simply lists it--indicating that he is confused as to the meaning of the work. There is also little discussion of why certain research questions are of interest. Worst of all, none of his chapters have introductions or conclusions. This is true of the book itself. The first chapter is titled "Introduction", but it isn't--it is a history of the opium poppy. Then, instead of ending the book with some kind of overview, the last chapter discusses pain models with an emphasis on how morphine fits in with them. The reason that "Opium Poppy" would contain this chapter--not even written by Kapoor--is unclear. (In fairness, this last non-Kapoor chapter has an introduction and conclusion.)

Another problem that makes extracting information from the book difficult is the poor editing done by The Haworth Press. The book is riddled with typographical and grammatical errors. The section headings are a mess; the reader is best to ignore them because they cause much confusion.

"Opium Poppy" should be subtitled "Botany, Horticulture, and Agriculture". This is what the author knows and what he is interested in. When he gets too far afield from these areas, the book falls apart. However, in these three areas, the book is indispensable.

A Psychopharmacologist 's Opinion of Kapoor's"OPIUM POPPY"
L.D. KAPOOR has written a brilliant, organized, carefully researched multidisciplinary study of the Opium Poppy,Papaver somniferum:its Botany, chemistry and pharmacology. He writes as an objective scientist.He gives us all the information, in the proper order, that we need to understand such a unfairly maligmed plant.I read a "customer review" that said there was too much info and it was too technical.It seems that reading that takes any intellectual effort is just too much for the usual reader.When writing of the world's oldest cultivar, the subject should be approached with respect.The book is organically structured:Botanical studies naturally grow into genetic & cytological expression, and then into opium as an herbal, agricultural commodity,and its relative alkaloid content analyzed.Then physiological, anatomical, & other studies are explored.
The biosynthesis & physiology of the poppy is examined without prejudice, as is the relative content of the economically valuable alkaloids are compared.Kapoor then evaluates the properties of morphine and other alkaloids that alieve chronic human pain.This book, for anyone who wants to discover the nature and goodness of a universally misunderstood plant, is essential.Written without bias or ideology, I could not recommend a modern work better suited to enlightening one of the gentle & benevolent qualities of "God's own Medicine".

Far too technical
This is probably a wonderful book if you are seriously into pharmacology and a closet scientist on the side. If you are looking for a book that will tell you how to grow or harvest opium keep looking. If on the other handyou like to look at drawings of the DNA structures of the individual drugisotopes found in opium(and believe me there are alot!) then buy it. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A disquieting look at what creative science could achieve
Leo Lionni created a baffling, even maddening, encyclopedic compendium that describes, illustrates, arrays, and summarizes a host of imaginary plants---his parallel botany. Besides the detailed descriptions of these odd plants, Mr. Lionni, who is best known for his various children's books, rendered numerous illustrations of the various parallel plants. But he doesn't stop here: 23 figures and photographs of various scientists, researchers, explorers and parallel plants together paired with another 32 plates or charcoal or pencil drawings fortify the seeming reality of the world of parallel botany. (Keep in mind that a number of these plants are not visible.) The end notes to the chapters add more authenticity, and I assume, that many of the publications cited are real. The only component lacking is an index.

There are layers and layers of complexity to this spoof, for Mr. Lionni draws the reader into more than the facts and lore of his creations by also intertwining issues about philosophy, language, and the scientific method. He presents multiple points of view bantered by experts in this subject matter, and this debate enlivens the discussion. He firmly roots the research by drawing upon imaginary but real-sounding folk tales and legends, made more real by invoking actual historical figures. Hence, imaginary notes from Magellan's historian or the Greek philosopher Heraclitus are dissected and scrutinized for clues and encounters with various specimens from the realm of parallel plants. Such luminaries as the Swiss biologist Max Spinder or the Greek botanist Professor Spyros Rodokanankis, and many more, espouse their various theories and findings, often disagreeing about their findings and the implications of their research.

His methods remind one of both Borges and Lovecraft, two masters at creating real-sounding imaginary worlds supported by tier upon tier of crafted scholarship and science.

This book is unique and arguably the last, and the only, word on the subject of parallel botany. Some consider it hilarious, others a mere spoof, but certainly it is more than that, for Mr. Lionni expended considerable effort and time to document this imaginary segment of the plant kingdom. The fact that a major publisher issued the book in hardback suggests someone thought highly of this idea.

I take away a sense of astonishment at the amount of detail invoked to underscore the verisimilitude of the premise, and see this book as a wry jab at the reductionistic tendencies of a scientific method that seems at times to value cataloging over understanding our world.

(I also once had a vision many years ago that may have come from whatever source Mr. Lionni tapped for Parallel Botany, a vision of an asylum that housed crazed and dangerous plants that I rendered in an oil painting a friend of mine smuggled into the art gallery in the Saturn Bar down in New Orleans.)

A disquieting look at what creative science could achieve
Leo Lionni created a baffling, even maddening, encyclopedic compendium that describes, illustrates, arrays, and summarizes a host of imaginary plants---his parallel botany. Besides the detailed descriptions of these odd plants, Mr. Lionni, who is best known for his various children's books, rendered numerous illustrations of the various parallel plants. But he doesn't stop here: 23 figures and photographs of various scientists, researchers, explorers and parallel plants together paired with another 32 plates or charcoal or pencil drawings fortify the seeming reality of the world of parallel botany. (Keep in mind that a number of these plants are not visible.) The end notes to the chapters add more authenticity, and I assume, that many of the publications cited are real. The only component lacking is an index.

There are layers and layers of complexity to this spoof, for Mr. Lionni draws the reader into more than the facts and lore of his creations by also intertwining issues about philosophy, language, and the scientific method. He presents multiple points of view bantered by experts in this subject matter, and this debate enlivens the discussion. He firmly roots the research by drawing upon imaginary but real-sounding folk tales and legends, made more real by invoking actual historical figures. Hence, imaginary notes from Magellan's historian or the Greek philosopher Heraclitus are dissected and scrutinized for clues and encounters with various specimens from the realm of parallel plants. Such luminaries as the Swiss biologist Max Spinder or the Greek botanist Professor Spyros Rodokanankis, and many more, espouse their various theories and findings, often disagreeing about their findings and the implications of their research.

His methods remind one of both Borges and Lovecraft, two masters at creating real-sounding imaginary worlds supported by tier upon tier of crafted scholarship and science.

This book is unique and arguably the last, and the only, word on the subject of parallel botany. Some consider it hilarious, others a mere spoof, but certainly it is more than that, for Mr. Lionni expended considerable effort and time to document this imaginary segment of the plant kingdom. The fact that a major publisher issued the book in hardback suggests someone thought highly of this idea.

I take away a sense of astonishment at the amount of detail invoked to underscore the verisimilitude of the premise, and see this book as a wry jab at the reductionistictendencies of a scientific method that seems at times to value cataloging over understanding our world.

(I also once had a vision many years ago that may have come from whatever source Mr. Lionni tapped for Parallel Botany, a vision of an asylum that housed crazed and dangerous plants that I rendered in an oil painting a friend of mine smuggled into the art gallery in the Saturn Bar down in New Orleans.) ... Read more

Product Description

Find an exciting, fulfilling career in a field where opportunities never stop growing!

If you find peace and satisfaction in growing plants and flowers, you should consider making it your profession. It might surprise you to learn just how many different opportunities exist within the horticulture and botany industry.

Careers in Horticulture and Botany gives you invaluable tips for finding a job in one of the many areas that make up this diverse field. Whether you like to plant new seedlings or study flora and fauna, this updated edition will help you:

• Develop a clear understanding of the various career options
• Key in on the specialty most suited for you--from landscaper to floral designer to botanist
• Understand what to expect in an entry-level job
• Find the education and training you'll need to stay one step ahead of the competition
• Familiarize yourself with current salaries, benefits, and the best job prospects

Product Description
PREFACE. --- TIIE rapid advances made in the science of botany within the last few years necessitate changes in the text books in use as well as in methods of teaching. Having, in his own experience as a teacher, felt the need of a book different from any now in use, the author has prepared the present volume with. a h01)C that it may serve the purpose for which it is intended; viz., an introduction to the study of botany for use in high schools especially, but sufficiently comprehensive to serve also as a beginning book in most colleges. It does not pretend to be a complete treatise of th.e wIlDIe science, and this, it is hoped, will be sufficient apology for the absence from its pages of many important subjects, especially physiological topics. It was found impracticable· to compress within the limits of a book of moderate size anything like a thorough discussion of even the most im'Portant topics of all the departments of botany. As a thorough understanding of the

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS; 101; CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION; Composition of Matter; Diology; Botany ~ Zoology; Departments; of Botany; luiplements ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Volume: 1918.Publisher: Urbana, The authorPublication date: 1918Subjects: Woody plantsTrees in winterNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Identify trees in winter?Impossible, not with this.
A lot of people find it near impossible to ID trees in winter.Ok, some have distinctive bark, or shape, but then there's the whole realm of trees out there that are just near impossible to identify without leaves.This really help work your way through tree taxonomy.

good but older key, coniferous evergreens missing
I'm a gardener at a botanical garden, but I have no formal training in botany, so take my remarks accordingly.

I've found this book useful, although the key sequence is longer than the other two keys I use regularly. The book uses line drawings, which for buds & leaf scars actually works pretty well.

The keys use quite a bit of plant science terminology- most of it is covered in the glossary at the end of the book.

The biggest disappointment for me was the exclusion of coniferous evergreens from the book.

On a day to day basis, I used another book "Fruit & Twig Key to Trees & Shrubs" more often, but this one covers more species. ... Read more