(updated 04/04 by Mary Walker)

America's Ancient Forests: From the Ice Age to the Age of Discovery, by Thomas Bonnicksen. 594 pp., 2000. John Wiley, NY. The author tells the story of our forests from their establishment after the ice age, the changes that occurred as the climate has changed in the past 18,000 years, the changes wrought by the first native inhabitants, through agriculture and fire management. He then describes the forests as the first European explorers and later the settlers found them.There are many pages of notes and citations and a very extensive bibliography. A very readable account of early forest history for the entire continent.

Legends In the Garden: Who in the World is Nellie Stevens?, by Linda L. Copeland and Allan M. Armitage. 194 pp. 2001. Wings Publ., 1700 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, GA, 30318. If you read this book you will discover that Nellie Stevens was a "passionate gardener" who lived on Maryland's eastern shore. On a trip to the U. S. Botanic Garden in 1900 she noticed a "different" holly, collected the seeds and grew the cultivar. It became a very popular plant and was named for her. The book gives the biographies of Nellie Stevens and  45 other places or people for whom popular American garden plant cultivars have been named.

Native Plants in the Coastal Garden: A Guide for Gardeners in the Pacific Northwest by April Pettinger and Brenda Costanza, 2nd. ed., 232 pp. 2002. Timber Press, Portland OR. A substantial book covering all aspects of the subject including garden design, propagation, and typical habitats with suitable plants.

New York City Trees: A Field Guide for the Metropolitan Area by  Edward Sibley Barnard. 240 pp. 2002. Columbia Univ, Press.  A handy pocket sized, well illustrated guide to the subject.. The  cover say the book tells "how to identify trees [ 130 species illustrated]; best places to see trees, official NYC Great Trees, and ten tree walks.[ with good clear maps] " . Next time you go to New York with some time to spare, take this along and try it.

Propagation of Pacific Northwest Native Plants, by Robin Rose, et. al. 248 pp. 1998. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, OR The book provides thorough propagation information for some 140 native plants. The information is drawn from many sources and is very thorough in its coverage. It is designed as a working manual for both professional nurserymen and home gardeners wishing to grow native plants in this part of the country.

The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America, edited by Frank S. Gilliam and Mark R. Roberts. 408 pp. 2003. Oxford Univ. Press, NY. An important gathering together under one cover of the abundant literature on the subject. The references section is 60 pages long. A scholarly book of interest to botanists and ecologists working on any aspect of the subject.

The Wild Orchids of North America North of Mexico by Paul Martin Brown, drawings by Stan Folsom.  236 pp. 2003, University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. The author calls it a checklist of 223 species because the information given does not include a description but it does include a color photo and a line drawing of each, the Florida range, the original literature citation, and synonyms. So that the checklist may be used as a field guide the author includes a nearly 30 page key to all the orchids. He also lists corrections for Luer's  classic book on orchids. The bibliography lists "all the local, regional and national orchid floras." Most orchid enthusiasts will probably want this book for their collection.

Vascular Plants of Wyoming, 3rd. ed. by  Robert D. Dorn, 412 pp. 2001.  Mountain West Publ. Co., Cheyenne, WY.A very basic flora of the state and its 2800  taxa.  The book begins with keys to the families and within the families occur keys to the genera. Species descriptions are included as keys within the genus.

Wild Orchids of Florida by Paul Martin Brown, drawings by Stan Folsom. 409 pp. 2002. University Press of Florida, Gainsville, FL.  A fine and substantial guide to some 118 orchids, found in Florida with full descriptions, a distribution map and each often illustrated with 2-3 color photos, and sometimes line drawings. There is an extensive key to the genera and within the genus, keys to the species. The book contains a number of other helpful lists including hints on orchid hunting in the Southeast.

Wild Plants of Greater Seattle, by Arthur Lee Jacobson, 494 pp. 2001. Arthur Lee Jacobson, 2215 E. Howe St., Seattle, WA. 98112. Describes in some detail and illustrates with line drawings more than 500 wild plants growing in the greater Seattle area: Trees; Shrubs; Wildflowers and Weeds; Rushes, Sedges and Grasses;  Ferns and Horsetails. The second part of the book gives an annotated checklist of 1270 plants, listed alphabetically by genus that did or do grow in the area. There is considerable information about habitats and the plants you may likely find there, and a calendar of blooming times..There is a very comprehensive index.. Not a pocket guide but it would be an interesting book to take on an extended trip to the area, or if you were moving there to live.

Wildflowers of the Desert Southwest , by Meg Quinn. 88pp . 2000. Rio Nuevo Publ., Tucson , AZ.Describes 80 wildflowers, found mostly in the Sonoran, Mojave and Chihuahuan Deserts , selected for being showy and common. All illustrated; many by a close-up. Photography excellent. Flowers grouped by flower color. A good small field book to take for a quick trip through this area.

Wild Berries of the West by Betty B. Derail and Margaret C. Fuller. 235 pp. 2001. Mountain Press Publishing Co. Missoula, MT. "A color field guide to more than 150 berries and fruits of the westernUnited States." Excellent close-up photographs and an informative text including Indian uses for each of the plants chosen. A section on recipes. Short lists of botanical gardens, nurseries, a bibliography and an index. A useful book to take along on a trip or to help identify photographs you may have taken. Plants are arranged alphabetically under common family name.

Sonoran Desert Wildflowers by Richard Spellenberg. 245 pp. 2003. A Falcon Guide, Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, CT. More than 300 plants to be found in the Sonoran Desert are included. Each illustrated with an excellent photograph; semi-technical descriptions to help in identification, with flowering season; habitat and rangeinformation. Plants are grouped by flower color. The book begins with an introduction to the ecology of the desert environment and to the general characteristics of desert plants. A very useful book for one interested in this region.

The Plants of Pennsylvania : An Illustrated Manual, by Ann Fowler Rhoads and Timothy A. Black. 1061 pp. 2000. University of Pennsylvania Press. This massive manual covers the more than 3000 species that occur in Pennsylvania . There is an extensive key to the families and within the family descriptions, keys to the species. Anna Anisko of the Morris Arboretum illustrates many plants or parts of plants with fine line drawings. More detailed information about the ranges of the species are found in The Vascular Flora of Pennsylvania: Annotated Checklist and Atlas . Rhoads and Klein, 1993).

Savannas, Barrens, and Rock Outcrop Plant Communities of North America , edited by Roger C. Anderson, James S. Fralish, Jerry M. Baskin. 470 pp. 1999. Cambridge University Press, NY. There are 47 contributors to the chapters in this book which summarize, region by region, the details of the plant communities which occur in or on these specialized habitats. A book which gathers under one cover an enormous amount of heretofor scattered information on this specialized subject. Extensive bibliographies for each region. Indexes to plants, animals and topics.

Geology and Plant Life: The Effects of Landforms and Rock Types on Plants by Arthur R. Kruckeberg.360 pp. 2002. University of Washington Press. An important book explaining the relationship between geolgy, soils and plant life which are often ignored or unrecognized especially by the layperson or beginning students of botany. Black and white illustrations throughout.

The Ecology of Block Island, Proceedings of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey Conference October 28, 2000. Edited by Peter W. Paton et.al. 235 pp. 2002. The Rhode Island Natural History Survey Kingston, RI. Chapters on geography, geology, vascular flora, forest history, bird migration, marine mammals, dragonflies and damselflies, Lyme disease, conservation efforts; CD enclosed of photographs of landscape.

Tree Bark: A Color Guide by Huges Vaucher, translated and edited by James E. Eckenwalder. 260 pp. 2003. Timber Press. This book discusses the physiology of tree bark in some detail and describes some of the human uses of tree bark. The heart of the book is devoted to 550 photographs of the bark of some 440 species of trees. I suggest that laypersons wishing to learn about this subject first read another book in the library entitled Bark: The Formation, Characteristics and Uses of Bark Around the World by Ghilean and Ann Prance with extraordinary photography by Kjell B. Sandved and then follow up with the more in depth account of Tree Bark: A Color Guide.

The Landscaping Revolution: Garden with Mother Nature not Against Her. Andy and Sally Wasowski, Contemporary Books, 2000; 166 pp. One of the latest of many books written by the Wasowskis. They live in the Southwest and most of their gardening books are oriented to that part of the country.

Bryophyte Biology, ed. by Jonathan Shaw and Bernard Goffinet. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2000, 476 pp. "…provides a concise but comprehensive overview of the morphology, systematics, ecology and evolution of hornworts, liverworts and mosses."

Lichens of North America by Irwin M. Brodo, Sylvia D. Sharnoff and Stephen Sharnoff. Yale Univ. Press, 2001. A massive and spectacular book which discusses 800 species and mentions 700 additional ones.

Wildflowers of Nantucket: A guide to the Island's Common Wildflowers by Peter W. Dunwiddie and M.J. Levy Dickinson, Nantucket Garden Club, Nantucket, MA 2001 225 pp. Illustrated with water color drawings. The author worked with Massachusetts Audubon, and other agencies extensively studying the flora of SE Mass. Take it along if you visit the Island this summer.

Wildflowers of Georgia by Hugh Nourse and Carol Nourse. Univ. of Georgia Press, 2000. Outstanding photographs of 86 of Georgia's most colorful wildflowers. Of course this is in no way comprehensive but it is a joy to look at.

Old Colony Wildflowers: Our Green Heritage by Dorothy H. Kelso and Charlotte Corey. Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, 2001; 160 pp. A delightful book with outstanding color photographs of each of the flowers discussed. These are flowers common in Southeastern Massachusetts and the author weaves in many interesting facts: uses, historical notes, propagation notes in the text and in the various appendices.

Handbook of Northwestern Plants by Helen M. Gilkey and La Rea J. Dennis. This is the revised edition of a classic field guide to plants in Oregon and Washington. It was first published in 1929 as A Spring Flora of Northwestern Oregon. Now 70 years later, after many revisions, additions of species and broadening of scope it is more useful than ever. With line drawings of many species.

Wildflowers of Pennsylvania by Mary Joy Heywood and Phyllis Testal Monk. Venture Graphics, 2001. 407 pp..... Mary Joy Heywood has been president of the Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania since 1985 and was professor of botany at Carlow College for 25 years. This work is the effort of a lifetime. Every species is illustrated and the color photos by many members of the Society are of larger than the usual format for a book covering this many species making them outstanding in detail. There are now three comprehensive state wildflower books: Arizona, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas. 2nd. ed. by Donald Worster. The first edition of this book, published in 1977 is a classic on the subject. The second edition brings the discussion of the history up to date since that time, and shows what has happened to how we think of "ecology" at
present, and the gradual acceptance of "disturbance" as a prime factor in ecological succession. A readable and thought provoking book. Read it if you wish to understand how ecology as a science has developed and the people who have defined and redefined it over the years.

Native Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Cape Cod and the Islands: an Illustrated Leaf Key by Ann Buckley A useful field guide to take along on a trip to the Cape this summer. It will help you identify 125 of the woody plants you are likely to see.

Seeds: The Ecology of Regeneration in Plant Communities, 2nd.ed. edited by. Michael Fenner. CABI Publ 2000. This book covers all aspects of seeds: their reproductive allocation; ecology of dispersal; how animals disperse seeds, soil seed banks, responses of seeds to light, temperature and fire, and a
discussion of seedlings and their ecology. The writing is rather technical overall though some sections are quite readable and understandable by the layman, and the book provides many interesting insights into the entire subject.

Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States. by France Royer and Richard Dickinson.(Lone Pine Publishing Co. 1999). This is a book which supplements the excellent book by Richard Uva published by Cornell University Press a few  years ago. The book treats 175 weed species. Usually two pages are devoted to each species with illustrations of the entire plant, and close-ups of flowers, fruits, basal rosettes, seeds, etc. Besides plant descriptions the text includes "Reasons for Concern" and "Similar Species". The quality of the photographs is excellent. If you are a weed identifier you will want this book. as so many of our roadside plants are weeds.

The Eternal Frontier by Tim  Flannery; (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2001) is "an  Ecological History of North America and Its Peoples ". The author paints a  broad picture of changes: extinctions, and migrations of animals, plants, and  finally people in the continent of North America from the time of the asteroid collision 65 million years ago.

Watersheds: A Practical Handbook for Healthy Water by Clive Dobson and Gregor G. Beck, (Firefly Books, 1999), Attempts to explain watershed ecology in  terms all can understand. Good illustrations. 

How Leaves Change by Sylvia A. Johnson.  Lerner Publications, Minneapolis,  1986. Although aimed at younger readers this small book is one of the best on  the subject that I have seen If you have questions about the process of  photosynthesis, and how and why leaves change in the Fall, do browse through 
this book. We already have the book in the Juvenile collection; this duplicate will go in the regular collection.

Wildflowers of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in Color by Alan. Bessette  and others. (Syracuse Univ. Press, 2000). Similar to Wild Flowers of New York  by the same authors. The photos of  some 400 flowers are exceptional. The  plants are arranged in groups by flower color, and then by flower  arrangement: symmetrical with 3, 4, 5, 6  petals, these further subdivided by  leaf type; and  asymmetrical or minute flowers subdivided by leaf type. You  may want this as a supplement to Newcomb or Peterson.

Autumn, a Season of Change by Peter J. Marchand (Univ. Press of New England,  2000) This is an absolutely fascinating and readable book about all the  complex changes that plants and animals undergo seasonally in the Northeast.  Marchand is author of an earlier book, Life in the Cold. This and another 
recent book in the library collection, The Trees in My Forest by Bernd  Heinrich should be required reading by anyone interested in New England  ecology. This latter is a wonderfully sensitive and delightful book about all  aspects of northern New England trees, their life, form and ecology.

The Encyclopedia of North American Trees by Sam Benvie (Firefly Books, 2000). The author's goals are to "present as many tree species native to North  America as are currently recognized", second to illustrate their" salient  features", and thirdly to describe each of 278 trees, its habitat,  associations, uses, values in landscaping, etc.

Reclaiming the Commons by Brian Donahue. (Yale Univ. Press, 1999.) Many New England towns have community gardens and some have more extensive community land projects. This book tells about Weston's efforts to "live responsibly on the land," and offers suggestions to other groups and towns wishing to do 
likewise.

Roadside Use of Native Plants by Bonnie Harper-Lore and Maggie Wilson eds.  (Island Press, 2000). Island Press has wisely chosen to publish this federal  handbook originally written for the U.S.Dept. of Transportation and so give  it wider distribution. There is now a federal law requiring that 1% of a 
highway's landscaping budget include planting of native wildflowers. This  book is an attempt to give planners help; extensive lists of suitable plants  are provided for every state and also vegetation maps of plant communities on  a state scale. The book lists many sources of professional help in each 
state.  This is certainly a book that native plant societies will wish to  have to answer questions about highway plantings planning that come their way  from their members and the public.

North American Terrestrial Vegetation. 2nd ed., Barbour, Michael and William D. Billings. (Cambridge Univ Pr., 2000, 708 pp.). This is a new edition of a classic work on major vegetation types in North America. Added are chapters on wetlands, Mexico, Caribbean Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. Information on habitat loss and restoration programs to help mitigate these losses is included. As in the first edition there are extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter. The text is readable and the facts one learns are most interesting.

Southeastern Wildflowers. Midgley, Jan W. (Crane Hill Publ., 1999, 298 pp.) This is much more than just a field guide to southern wildflowers. There is an extensive section on southern plant communities with lists of the common trees, shrubs and herbs found in each. There is much information on propagation in general and for the species selected for discussion in detail.  Each plant profile is well illustrated and the accompanying text includes 1 and 1/2  pages of information. This is a wonderful addition to the literature on wildflowers of the Southeastern United States. and will surely become a classic.

Wildflowers of the Northern Great Plains, 3rd. ed. Vance, F. R. et. al.  (Univ. of Minn. Pr. 1999, 382 pp.) This is the best field guide to wildflowers in the area covered: the northern prairies in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming and bordering Canadian Provinces. The guide now covers 455 species with750 excellent color photos often showing both habitat and plant closeup and occasionally line drawings to show plant details. This new edition has a section on grasses and sedges with excellent photos. 

Plants of the Copper Country and Plants of Pictured Rocks National Seashore. Chadde, Steve W.   (Pocket Flora Press, Calumet, MI, 1996; ca. 100 pp. each.) These are truly pocket sized field guides to the plants of Upper Michigan-the Keweenaw Peninsula, Houghton, and Isle Royale; and to the National Seashore on Lake Superior. Information is condensed, coverage is comprehensive and many species are illustrated with line drawings. These would be especially useful guides for a traveler.

OTHER RECENT ADDITIONS:

AMERICAN FOLK MEDICINE by Clarence Meyer, 1985. A new title in our growing collection of books about medicinal plants and their use, especially in the Northeast. 

CHANCE AND CHANGE: ECOLOGY FOR CONSERVATIONISTS by William Holland Drury, Jr. 1998. Ecological processes seen in the field often differ from written theory. A most interesting book. Drury was an ecologist for Mass. Audubon for many years, and also taught at The College of the Atlantic in Maine. 

ECOLOGY; A POCKET GUIDE by Ernest Callenbach, 1998. A non-technical discussion of basic ecological concepts. 

MANAGING CONSERVATION LAND: THE STEWARDSHIP OF CONSERVATION AREAS...MASSACHUSETTS, 1994,  by Peter Westover. This accompanies the publication CONSERVATION AREAS OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1989 

MOHAVE DESERT WILDFLOWERS by Jon Mark Stewart, 1998. Superb color photos of nearly 200 desert plants. An easy guide for travellers to pack. 

PLANTS AND PEOPLE:  Vol. 20, THE DUBLIN SEMINAR FOR NEW ENGLAND FOLKLIFE, ANNUAL PROCEEDINGS, 1995. Boston University,  Includes several interesting papers on early plant uses. 

STEPPING BACK TO LOOK FORWARD: A HISTORY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS FOREST. by Charles H. W. Foster, ed. 1998 From the ecologists at The Harvard Forest. Essential and fascinating history. 

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS; A FIELD GUIDE TO AQUATIC PLANTS, by Susan Borman, 1997. Beautifully illustrated introduction to the study of aquatic plants.

BOOK REVIEWS by Mary Walker, NEWFS Volunteer Librarian

Books For Fall: New, Classic, Recommended
Books For Winter;
Books for Early Spring (Reviewed  by Mary Walker)
 

Publications of the New England Wild Flower Society

Field Guide to Indiana Wildflowers by Kay Yatskievych, (Indiana University Press, 357 pp., 2000.)
Last Spring we added a new book to our collection. Because of its  completeness it will surely become the classic field guide of choice to  wildflowers in the Midwest; taking its place along with the Peterson and 
Newcomb guides to wildflowers of the Northeast. This book is Field Guide to  Indiana Wildflowers by Kay Yatskievych, (Indiana University Press, 357 pp.,  2000.) The author includes all of the herbaceous plants in Indiana about 1500  species, (except grasses, sedges and rushes). Newcomb and Peterson illustrate  with line drawings most of their approximately 1500 species each. While this  is exceptional coverage, it is not all the herbaceous plants in the eastern U.S. by any means. Illustrating all 1500 plus species with a color photograph would have made her book too expensive so Kay Yatskievych has come up with a solution by grouping" visually similar species". Field Guide to Indiana Wildflowers contains 640 good, though small, color photographs, one for every group, and all individual species. The text accompanying these groups explains the differences between the grouped species and differences may be illustrated with line drawings too. For example in the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), the Carrot family, Daucus carota (Queen-Anne's- Lace); Carum carvi (Caraway); Periderida americana (Eastern Eulophus ) and Spermolepis inermis (Scaleseed) are grouped together with a photo only of the first but with full text descriptions of the different species and line drawings of the leaf segments of Caraway and Eulophus, and Scaleseed. Mention is also made of Cicuta bulbifera and Aethusa cynapium. In order to use this guide successfully one will have to pay very careful attention to the text in such  cases as the above. As well as size measurements, flower type and color, descriptions include scientific and common names, habitat, range in state, blooming time, and whether introduced or rare, threatened or endangered.  The book begins with a glossary and then  an illustrated and detailed "Flower Finder" key, I would not recommend this book to a beginning botanist, but for one who has first learned to use a guide such as Newcomb  or Peterson, and is then frustrated by finding that 40% of Indiana's and neighboring  midwestern states wildflowers are not in these guides this will be a "must have". Hats off to the author who has produced  this complete guide,  obviously  a very large  undertaking.

Books about Trees and Autumn Colors
Reviews by Mary Walker

Two recent books tell us how and why leaves change in the Fall. Both have color photographs of the leaves, with simple keys to help you identify them: Autumn Leaves: A Guide to the Fall Colors of the Northwoods by Ronald M. Lanner [QK477.2.I4.L35 1990] and Fall Color and Woodland Harvests: A Guide to the More Colorful Fall Leaves and Fruits of the Eastern Forests by C. Ritchie Bell and Anne H. Lindsey . As you can see by the title this book includes some fruits in the discussion. If you would like to learn more fascinating facts and lore about our common woodland trees try Forest and Thicket: Trees, Shrubs and Wildflowers of Eastern North America by John Eastman [QK115.E28 1991] and Red Oaks and Black Birches: The Science and Lore of Trees by Rebecca Rupp .[QK475.R78 1900]. The best book of all about trees, and a source book of information for many younger writers is the delightful and beautifully written classic, A Natural History of Trees of Eastern and Central North America by Donald Culross Peattie. If you decide you need to refresh your understanding of basic botany try the very helpful Botany for Gardeners: An Introduction and Guide [QK50.C36 1990] For a discussion of local leaf changes go to http://www.concordma.com and look under special features. 

Books on Winter Wildflowers,
A Review by Mary M. Walker

     In winter, when the weather is mild and you take a walk, you can challenge yourself by trying to identify the remnants of our autumn wildflowers and perhaps the basal rosettes of plants awaiting the warmth of spring to send forth stem and blossom again. There are two outstanding books to help in this task and others  useful but less comprehensive. The first is Season of Promise by June Carver Roberts (Ohio Univ. Press, 1993). There is no key to the plants but the book is divided in to 6 sections by habitat, such as “plants of shores and wetlands”, plants of woodlands”, etc.  Within these sections the included plants are listed in order by scientific family  as in Gray’s Manual. Some 250 plants, mostly herbaceous but a few shrubs, ferns, lichens and fungi, are treated. This was the first book on the subject to include so much information about their winter aspect as well as lucid descriptions of the growing plants, scientific name derivations and interesting facts about uses,etc. The illustrations for each plant are beautifully done, mostly line drawings and a few lovely watercolor plates. This book is a joy to behold.
       A Guide to Wildflowers in Winter, Herbaceous Plants of Northeastern North America by Carol Levine  (Yale Univ. Press, 1995) will rightly become a classic in the field. It is comprehensive, covering nearly 400 herbaceous plants  in detail ,with briefer notes on another 200. The 400 plants are illustrated with beautiful, accurate line drawings by Dick Rauh and each has descriptions of fruit, stems, leaves, habit, and habitat to help identify the plant. “The Illustrated Key” at the beginning is designed to lead you to your plant in question, through habitat, habit( e.g. vine, ground cover, upright), stem characters (thorns, hairs, or lack there of) and  especially type of fruits still to be found. There is an illustrated glossary of terms and 19 photographic plates of basal rosettes which often remain well into the winter and appear early in the spring.
 Two earlier books on the subject which you may already have are The Winter Weed Finder by Dorcas S. Miller , part of the excellent  Plant Finder series published by the Nature Study Guild. This is inexpensive and truly a pocket guide. Weeds in Winter by Lauren Brown was first published in 1976 (Norton) and instantly became a welcome companion to fall and winter walkers. There is an extensive key based on habit, stem and fruit characters especially, and an illustrated glossary. There are good line drawings and descriptions of each of the135 plants included.

Books for Early Spring
Reviewed by Mary M. Walker

Recently I reviewed two books useful for identifying winter wildflowers and weeds. As the soil warms up in late March and early April we see basal rosettes greening up and many seedlings appearing on bare patches of soil and perhaps in our garden plots to be! A fine book for identifying these early spring objects as well as the plants in full flush of growth is Weeds of the Northeast by Richard H. Uva and others, published by Cornell University Press in 1997. There are several tables of keys based on obvious features such as weeds with thorns or prickles, weeds with milky sap, with square stems, etc. And finally there is a lengthy vegetative key. The 4 or 5 excellent photos for each plant, and sometimes line drawings, show habit of growth, basal rosettes, seedlings, seeds, mature leaves, etc. The full page of text opposite the illustrations for each plant includes a general description as well as details about roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds and a list of similar species. If you like to name whatever you see growing this book will be most helpful.
 

And speaking about naming plants, the January-February 2000 issue of Horticulture has a good article on pronouncing scientific names of plants. If you read it carefully it will give you useful guidelines. The list of common mispronunciations may surprise you and may make you change your ways. Although you may decide it is just going too far to pronounce "Anemone", "an-eh-MON-ee" instead of "a-NEM-o-nee". In a lifetime I do not think I have heard more than one or two botanists ever pronounce that plant name according to botanical Latin rules. In any event, even if you do not always remember all the rules, when pronouncing scientific names of plants, pronounce them with authority" as one of my favorite professors said to me long ago. Why not  just learn the common name? Common names vary so from region to region and country to country. If you travel at all it will be helpful to know plants by their scientific names. I remember once I was on a field trip at the Garden in the Woods with several botanists, some from England, France, Germany and Russia The scientific names enabled us all to communicate, even if pronounced 
with a Russian, French, German, English or American accent [That field trip was part of the memorable Arnold Arboretum Centennial, 1973].