Botanical & Wildflower Guides & Links

Here are some of the Conservation Department's favorite manuals and guides to plant identification. These are all available from NEWFS on-line gift shop at http://www.newenglandwildflower.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=NEWFSMS

  • Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada - Gleason and Cronquist's Manual of Vascular Plants By Noel H. Holmgren Definitive keyed references for facilitating the identification of plants based on their most commonly observed characteristics.
  • Gleason and Cronquist's Manual of Vascular Plants, Illustrated Companion. By Noel H. Holmgren
    Clear high quality illustrations of the species presented in the above referenced manual.
  • Flora of Maine - A Manual for Identification of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of Maine. One of the best identification manuals available. Applicable to many areas of the northeast. Up to date taxonomy and easy to use clear keys.
  • Flora of the Northeast - A Manual of the Vascular Flora of New England and Adjacent New York. By Dennis W Magee and Harry E. Ellis. This up-to-date treatment of the vascular flora of greater New England provides information on more than 3,600 plant species, 2,400 range maps and 995 line drawings, with diagnostic features. User friendly keys, scientifically accurate information , clearly presented.
  • Grasses. An Identification Guide. By Lauren Brown. Covers 135 species from familiar to exotic, focusing on color, shape, and texture to facilitate identification. Over 300 beautiful and exact line drawings by the author.
  • Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. By Lawrence Newcomb. Five-step key guide to wildflower field identification. Best guide for the beginner or intermediate wildflower enthusiast!
  • Trees and Shrubs of New England. By Marilyn J. Dwelley. Re-release of 1980 guidebook to the woody plants of New England. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of over 300 species include leaf, flower, fruit, winter buds, wood and bark. The perfect companion to her sring wildflower guide in an accessible and convenient format.
  • Plant Identification Terminology-An Illustrated Glossary. By James G. and Melinda Woolf Harris. 1700 clear illustrations of terms used in plant identification and descriptions.
  • A Field Manual of the Ferns and Fern-Allies of the United States and Canada. By David B. Lellinger with Photographs by A. Murray Evans. A definitive and essential reference for fern enthusiasts and students. Over 400 color photographs and detailed descriptions aid the reader in identification.
  • The Genus Viola of Maine - A Taxonomic and Ecological Reference. Up to date key guides, written by NEWFS staff member Arthur Haines, research botanist for the Herbarium Recovery Project, are an invaluable reference for serious students of Maine flora.
  • Seymour’s The Flora of New England – A Manual for the Identification of all Vascular Plants Including Ferns and Fern Allies Growing Without Cultivation in New England. Good fowering period and locational information. Keys and taxonomy may be slightly out-dated.
  • Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Noertheastern North America by Garret E. Crow and C. Barre Hellquist. A comprehensive manual and illustrated guide to native and naturalized vascular plants growing in aquatic and wetland habitats.

Other references that are not longer in print but may be available from libraries and used book stores:

  • Gray’s Manual of Botany, Eight Edition by Merritt Lyndon Fernald. A Handbook of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of the Central and Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. The field botanists bible. A must have for every experienced plant lover and botanist.

Other interesting sites:

  • Botanical Notes – published by Arthur Haines through Woodlot Alternatives in Maine. Contains recent taxonomy and nomenclatural information, along with notes on how to key out selected taxa. http://arthur_haines.tripod.com/botanical_notes.htm
  • Arthur Haines Website – Great information on a variety of botanical topics, including a listing of all New England taxa and their new names, if applicable. http://arthur_haines.tripod.com/
  • American Society of Systematic Botany – http://www.sysbot.org/
  • Natureserve - NatureServe is a non-profit conservation organization that provides the scientific information and tools needed to help guide effective conservation action. NatureServe and its network of natural heritage programs are the leading source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems. Contains links to all heritage programs worldwide. http://www.natureserve.org
  • The Nature Conservancy – http://www.tnc.org
  • Biota of North America Project (BONAP) – The Biota of North America Program (BONAP) was founded in 1969 by Dr. John Kartesz. The program's goal is to develop a unified digital system for assessing the North American biota. The BONAP database now includes data for all vascular plants and vertebrate species (native, naturalized, and adventive) of North America, north of Mexico. http://www.bonap.org/
  • W3TROPICOS - This site provides access to the Missouri Botanical Garden's VAST (VAScular Tropicos) nomenclatural database and associated authority files. http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/vast.html