This "amazing and wonderful book" explores the evolutionary history of photosynthesis in a grand story of how the world became the verdant place we know ( Choice).On this blue planet, long before dinosaurs reigned, tiny green organisms populated the ancient oceans. Fossil and phylogenetic evidence suggests that chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible for coloring these organisms, has been in existence for some 85% of Earth's long history—that is, for ro...

A blend of history, science, philosophy, and environmentalism, The Tree is an engaging and elegant look at the life of the tree and what modern research tells us about their future.There are redwoods in California that were ancient by the time Columbus first landed, and pines still alive that germinated around the time humans invented writing. There are Douglas firs as tall as skyscrapers, and a banyan tree in Calcutta as big as a football field.Fr...

This enchanting glossary of flowers, and their hidden meanings and symbols, is accompanied by Kate Greenaway’s wonderfully rich illustrations.This fascinating insight into a bygone era shares the traditional method of communication popularised in the Victorian age. Featuring 82 beautifully colour-illustrated pages, Language of Flowers reveals which plants are a declaration of war and which express true love. This volume is a treasure trove of charming and ...

*** Original and Unabridged Content. Made available by GOLDEN CLASSIC PRESS***Synopsis:Insectivorous Plants is a book by British naturalist and evolutionary theory pioneer Charles Darwin, first published on 2 July 1875 in London. Part of a series of works by Darwin related to his theory of natural selection, the book is a study of carnivorous plants with specific attention paid to the adaptations that allow them to live in difficult conditions. It includes illustrations by D...

In ancient Ireland there were 365 different parts to the body, and a different plant to cure each part. So the wild plants of Ireland are bound up in our culture and folklore from the earliest times. To arry a four-leaved shamrock brings luck in gambling, while putting nine ivy leaves under her pillow means a girl will dream of her future husband. Here plants are described in seasonal order, a perspective dating back to our ancestors. Different aspects of plant folklore are examined follow...

“A beautifully illustrated reference book covers the origins, ecology and history of popular garden plants.” —Shelf AwarenessThe oldest rose fossil was found in Colorado and dates to 35 million years ago. Marigolds, infamous for their ability to self-seed, are named for an Etruscan god who sprang from a ploughed field. And daffodils—an icon of spring—were introduced to Britain by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. Every garden plant has an origination s...

The Brisbane Ranges area, situated 80 km west of Melbourne and 30 km north-west of Geelong, is extraordinarily rich in diversity. With basalt grasslands, heathy woodland, alluvial soils, buckshot gravel and granite rocks, it boasts more than 430 species of native plants. Wildflowers of the Brisbane Ranges contains magnificent photographs of more than 400 species, many of them orchids, including rare and vulnerable species such as the Naked Sun Orchid (Thelymitra circumsepta) and the Hyacinth ...

At the biological crossroads of the Americas, Costa Rica hosts one of the widest varieties of plants in the wold, with habitats ranging from tidal mangrove swamps, and lowland rainforests, to dry tropical evergreen and deciduous forests. Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica is a must-have reference guide for beginner and expert naturalists alike. It provides a thorough survey of more than 850 plant species, each entry accompanied by color photos and a concise yet detailed narrative...

Trees are familiar components of many landscapes and have been vital in determining the ecology of our planet as well as the development of human cultures and communities. Yet how much do we really understand about how they work? This updated and revised edition provides a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of tree biology and ecology and presents the state-of-the-art discoveries in this area. The wonders and mysteries of trees are explored throughout the book and questions such as ...

This visually superb and informative field guide is the second volume of Flora of the Otway Plain and Ranges, and covers more than 480 species of Daisies, Heaths, Peas, Saltbushes, Sundews, Wattles and other shrubby and herbaceous Dicotyledons. The illustrated family key is unique and covers 75 families and over 200 genera. Each species is illustrated and labels provide a clear key to identification for botanists and amateurs alike. The Otway region of Victoria, with its temperate rainforests...

This beautifully illustrated field guide covers 504 of the most common fruiting plants found in Australia's eastern rainforests, as well as a few species that are rare in the wild but generally well-known. These spectacular plants can be seen from Cape York to Victoria, with some species also found in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and overseas. Rainforest fruits are often beautifully coloured, and in this guide the species are arranged by colour of ripe fruit, then by size and for...

The Otway region of Victoria, with its temperate rainforests, mountain ash forests, heathlands, plains and coastal dunes, has an extraordinarily rich and diverse flora. The first volume of Flora of the Otway Plain and Ranges covers the orchids, irises, lilies, grass-trees, mat-rushes and other petaloid monocotyledonous plants. Enid Mayfield's exquisite colour illustrations of more than 200 species reveal tiny botanical details which enable the untrained botanist to identify each species with ...