Many of us have stopped to pick wildflowers or have admired them as they flourished in fields and along hiking trails and roads. Always appreciated, but not always recognized, these beauties can now 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 the left page and color photos on the right. The descriptions are concise, but thorough, and the range maps show both where the plant grows and at 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 leaf 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 depicted. Over 1400 species are described with nearly all of them illustrated with full-color photos. While these photos generally show the flowers of the plant, insets of leaves and occasionally fruits are often included as well. 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 photographed and expertly detailed guide.
"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."--TheWall 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 wild