Description

Many of us have stopped to pick bunches of wildflowers or have admired them as they flourished in fields, hiking trails, and roads. Always appreciated but not always recognized, now these beauties can easily be identified with Wildflowers in the Field and Forest , the most inclusive field guide available to the wildflowers of the northeastern United States.
Designed for easy use, the book features two-page spreads with descriptive text and range maps on one side facing pages of color photos on the other. The descriptions are concise, but thorough, and the range maps show both where the plant grows and what time of year it is likely to be in bloom. Plants are grouped by flower color, usually the feature first noticed by the observer. The species are subsequently grouped by petal arrangement, type of leaves, and number of flower parts as indicated in the "quick characters" box at the top of each page. There is also a simple key in the beginning of the book that allows one to quickly narrow the search to a few pages. In addition to the more common and conspicuous wildflowers, many of the lesser known, and often overlooked, species are also depicted. Full-color photos generally show the flowers of the plant, and while insets of leaves (and occasionally fruits) are often included to help in identification. A bar on each photo allows users to accurately judge the actual size of each flower.
Both serious botanists and casual nature observers will welcome this beautifully illustrated and expertly detailed guide.

· The most comprehensive field guide for the northeastern United States, including New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, with additional coverage of adjacent areas in eastern Canada
· Over 1,400 species are described; nearly all are illustrated by beautiful color photographs
· Photographs accurately depict the flowers; insets show details of leaves and other features
· Photos, descriptions, and maps on facing pages make the book simple to use
· Color-coded maps indicate both the range of the species and the time when it is in bloom

Reviews

"This photographic field guide is jam-packed with information, making it likely to become a favorite inclusion in the field kit of both professional and amateur botanists."--RHODORA

"In addition to being the most comprehensive field guide for the northeastern U.S. and Canada, this is an eminently practical book of advice on the cultivation of native plants, both for gardens and for the benefit of wildlife. Discussing nearly 1,500 species of native and naturalized wildflowers, the book offers photos, maps, and text conveniently positioned on facing pages, along with brief, easy-to-follow plant descriptions. The authors, both scientists, bring a thoroughgoing expertise to their love of native habitats, providing a perspective that dedicated gardeners should relish."--The Wall Street Journal

"Gracie is a nature lover, a naturalist, an adventurer and a superb botanical photographer. She has five wildflower species named after her. There isn't much she doesn't know about wildflowers, both the indigenous and alien species that grow in the fields, forests, and roadsides of the Northeast. The book brings to the interested reader more than 30 years of study and research. Photos, descriptions, and maps on facing pages make the field guide simple to use, and it fits neatly into a flower finder's backpack."--Maureen Koehl, The Lewisboro Ledger

"An important new field guide. It is far more comprehensive than either of the traditional frontrunners and reflects current taxonomy. Piles on useful features that will please everyone from beginner to botanist."--Brooklyn Botanic Garden Newsletter

"Will be widely appreciated by amateurs and professionals alike, and should find a wide audience in schools, natural history museums, botanical gardens, nature study societies, and conservation groups."--Peter Raven, Director, Missouri Botanical Garden

Product Details

480 pages; 2878 color maps & photos; 5-1/2 x 8-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-515005-6ISBN10: 0-19-515005-8

About the Author(s)