Balogh International Inc

1911 North Duncan Road, Champaign, Illinois 61821 USA; +1 217 355 9331 & 355 1704 fax: +1 217 355 9413; email: scott@balogh.com

New Botanical Books (for botanical garden publications, click on the garden links!)

Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Peter de Lange, Peter Heenan, David Norton, Jeremy Rolfe and John Sawyer. 2010. ISBN: 978-1-877257-56-8. 472 pp. Hardcover. $64.95
One in 13 of New Zealand's native plants is now threatened with extinction.
Six species are already extinct – like the moa and the huia, they are gone forever. Even the popular kakabeak (Clianthus puniceus) is in a serious plight, with just one plant left in the wild. Another 24 species are known in the wild from fewer than 200 plants. This beautifully illustrated book combines precise botanical descriptions with lavish illustrations in describing the 189 species defined by conservation scientists as Extinct or Threatened, using the New Zealand Threat Classification System. Each description contains information on how to identify the plant in question, the specific threats it faces, and its current distribution. Threatened Plants of New Zealand is designed to be an essential tool in the fight against extinction, as well as a stunning showcase of the spectacular flora of a country in which new plant species are still being routinely recognised, 240 years after the first specimens were brought to the attention of the world's scientific community.

People and Plants in Ancient Eastern North America. Paul E. Minnis. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8165-2913-1. 423 pp. Paperback. $35.00
The environmental diversity of North America is astounding—from circumpolar tundra with a small number of plants more than a few centimeters tall to the lush semitropical forests of the southeastern United States and the Caribbean Basin. No less remarkable is the record of plant usage by the various indigenous peoples who have been living here for more than 12,000 years. For the vast majority of this time, their livelihood—food, shelter, fuel, and medicine—depended on their knowledge and use of the plants that surrounded them. The most comprehensive overview in more than half a century on the interconnectedness of people and plants, this book and its companion volume, People and Plants in Ancient Western North America, present the latest information on three major topics: the uses of native plants, the history of crops and their uses, and the impact of humans on their environment. They not only contribute to our understanding of the lives of prehistoric people but also serve as guides for designing sustainable living today.

People and Plants in Ancient Western North America. Paul E. Minnis. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8165-2912-4. 440 pp. Paperback. $35.00
The environmental diversity of western North America is astounding—from the wind-scoured tundra of the high mountains to the seemingly desolate lowland deserts. No less remarkable is the record of plant usage by the various indigenous peoples who have been living there for more than twelve millennia. For the vast majority of this time, their livelihood—food, shelter, fuel, and medicine—depended on their knowledge and use of the plants that surrounded them. The most comprehensive overview in more than half a century on the interconnectedness of people and plants, this book and its companion volume, People and Plants in Ancient Eastern North America, present the latest information on three major topics: the uses of native plants, the history of crops and their uses, and the impact of humans on their environment. They not only contribute to our understanding of the lives of prehistoric people but also serve as guides for designing sustainable living today.

Baboquivari Mountain Plants: Identification, Ecology, and Ethnobotany. Daniel F. Austin. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8165-2837-0. 352 pp. Hardcover. $79.95
The Baboquivari Mountains, long considered to be a sacred space by the Tohono O’odham people who are native to the area, are the westernmost of the so-called Sky Islands. The mountains form the border between the floristic regions of Chihuahua and Sonora. This encyclopedic work describes the flora of this unique area in detail. It includes descriptions, identifications, ecology, and extensive etymologies of plant names in European and indigenous languages. Daniel Austin also describes pollination biology and seed dispersal and explains how plants in the area have been used by humans, beginning with Native Americans. The term “sky island” was first used by Weldon Heald in 1967 to describe mountain ranges that are separated from each other by valleys of grassland or desert. The valleys create barriers to the spread of plant species in a way that is similar to the separation of islands in an ocean. The 70,000-square-mile Sky Islands region of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico is of particular interest to botanists because of its striking diversity of plant species and habitats. With more than 3,000 species of plants, the region offers a surprising range of tropical and temperate zones. Although others have written about the region, this is the first book to focus exclusively on the plant life of the Baboquivari Mountains. The book offers an introduction to the history of the region, along with a discussion of human influences, and includes a useful appendix that lists all of the plants known to be growing in the Baboquivari Mountain chain.

Monograph of Cedrela. T.D. Pennington, et al. 2010. ISBN: 9780953813476. 112 pp. Softcover. $35.00
This work supplies the scientific information vital to support the conservation and sustainable use of this important source of timber. Cedrela has had over 250 years of commercial exploitation and is one of the most important tropical American hardwoods -- perhaps now the most important. Seventeen species are recognized, including four previously undescribed species. DNA studies suggest that the heavily traded Cedrela odorata has multiple origins and may comprise at least three distinct species.

Floral Diagrams: An Aid to Understanding Flower Morphology and Evolution. Louis P. Ronse De Craene. 2010. ISBN: 9780521493468. 458 pp., 182 b/w illustrations, 2 tables. Hardcover. $130.00
Floral morphology remains the cornerstone for plant identification and studies of plant evolution. This guide gives a global overview of the floral diversity of the angiosperms through the use of detailed floral diagrams. These schematic diagrams replace long descriptions or complicated drawings as a tool for understanding floral structure and evolution. They show important features of flowers, such as the relative positions of the different organs, their fusion, symmetry, and structural details. The relevance of the diagrams is discussed, and pertinent evolutionary trends are illustrated. The range of plant species represented reflects the most recent classification of flowering plants based mainly on molecular data, which is expected to remain stable in the future.

The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests: A Plant and Pollination Miscellany. Geoff Williams and Paul Adam. 2010. ISBN: 9780643097612. 200 pp., color photos. Hardcover. $125.00
The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests provides an overview of pollination in Australian rainforests, especially subtropical rainforests. It also examines the plant-pollinator relationships found in rainforests worldwide.
The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests progresses through introductory and popular sections that cover pollination in lore and legend; plant and flower evolution and development; and the role and function of color, fragrance and form. Later chapters deal with breeding systems; mimicry; spatial, temporal and structural influences on plant-pollinator interactions; and a discussion and overview of floral syndromes. The book concludes with a section on conservation and fragmentation, and individual plant pollination case studies. Illustrated with color photographs of major species, this reference work will be treasured by field naturalists, ecologists, conservation biologists, botanists, ecosystem managers, environmentalists, community groups and individuals involved in habitat restoration, students, and those with a broad interest in natural history.

The Timber Press Dictionary of Plant Names. Walter von Erhardt, Siegmund Seybold, Nils Bödeker, and Erich Götz. 2010. ISBN: 9781604691153. 928 pp. Hardcover. $39.95
The Timber Press Dictionary of Plant Names is the only reference available in English with the current names of thousands of plants found in gardens and the wild. Valuable to botanists, horticulturists, agronomists, and foresters who must work with plants on a daily basis, it is also useful for advanced gardeners who seek accurate and precise information on the plants they grow. Includes the English, French, and German common names for most of the 20,000 plants described. More than 10,000 synonyms are also included. The level of detail in each entry is without parallel: type of plant, life cycle, geographic distribution, growing habit, foliage type, cold-hardiness (using USDA hardiness zones), flowering time, garden habitat, botanical author, medicinal or toxic properties, cut flower use or decorative fruits, fragrance value, endangered protection status, and vernacular name in up to three languages, with cross-references to Latin names.

The Kingdom Fungi: The Biology of Mushrooms, Molds, and Lichens. Steven L. Stephenson. 2010. ISBN: 9780881928914. 328 pp., 124 color photos, 4 black and white line drawings. Hardcover. $34.95
The Kingdom Fungi provides a comprehensive look at the biology, structure, and morphological diversity of these necessary organisms. It sheds light on their ecologically important roles in nature, their fascinating relationships with people, plants, and animals, and their practical applications in the manufacture of food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. The book includes information about "true" fungi, fungus-like creatures (slime molds and water molds), and a group of "composite" organisms (lichens) that are more than just fungi. Particular attention is given to examples of fungi that might be found in the home and encountered in nature.

Planting and Maintaining a Tree Collection. Simon Toomer. 2010. ISBN: 9780881929300. 232 pp., 107 color photos. Hardcover. $39.95
In this book, Toomer explores the fascinating subject of collecting trees from a historical, practical, and philosophical standpoint, and in doing so illuminates the very special relationship that exists between humans and trees. What inspires so many of us to become tree collectors? How do we choose what to collect, and what makes us narrow it down to witch hazels or magnolias? He also looks at the different motivations behind tree collections, ranging from aesthetic criteria to collections planted for education value or for scientific research. For those interested in planting a handful of trees, for armchair tree collectors, for those who collect trees on a large scale — in private and public gardens, cemeteries, urban landscapes, schools, and, of course, arboretums — this is a hugely inspiring, well-structured, comprehensive treatment of the subject that provokes thought and provides practical advice on everything from budgets and maintenance to plant selection, labeling, and public safety.

Desert Plants: Biology and Biotechnology. K.G. Ramawat. Due February 2010. ISBN: 978-3-642-02549-5. 503 pp., 144 illustrations. Hardcover. $229.00
Vast areas of Earth's landmass exist as deserts, representing quite distinct ecosystems. Desert plants and animals have evolved specialised survival strategies to cope with the harsh environment of high temperatures and scarce water resources. The life-supporting vegetation of deserts is characterised by its unique reproductive biology, metabolism and adaptive characters. Plants like Prosopis cineraria and date palm form the basis of the rural economy in many countries, and are of great cultural importance; Jojoba and Jatropha have attracted interest as non-conventional sources of industrial oil and biodiesel. This book includes chapters on the seed biology, reproduction, mycorrhizae, stress physiology, and metabolism of desert plants, and describes current biotechnological approaches to their cultivation.

Mosses and Liverworts of Britain and Ireland: A Field Guide. British Bryological Society. 2010. ISBN: 9780956131010. 848 pp., color photographs, line drawings. $72.00
The want of a field guide has for many years greatly hindered further spread of interest in British and Irish field bryology. By filling this gap in the market, the guide will make a group that has largely been the realm of specialists into an accessible and popular interest for naturalists, reaching far beyond the current pool of bryologists, and into the wider community of naturalists beyond. This book is the only up-to-date, user-friendly guide to identifying British and Irish bryophytes in the field, with hundreds of colour photographs and black and white drawings showing what species look like, together with notes on how to identify and distinguish similar species, and habitat notes and distribution maps showing where they occur.

Japanese Maples: The Complete Guide to Selection and Cultivation (Fourth Edition).  J. D. Vertrees and Peter Gregory. 2010. ISBN: 9788081929324. 404 pp., 574 color photos. Hardcover. $49.95
In the last decade, the number of Japanese maple cultivars available to gardeners has doubled and there is a pressing need for an up-to-date reference. This new fourth edition offers detailed descriptions of over 150 new introductions, updates to plant nomenclature, and new insights into established favorites. Gardeners will relish the practical advice that puts successful cultivation within everyone's grasp. Accurate identification is made simple with over 600 easy-to-follow descriptions and 500 color photographs.

Australian Palms: Biogeography, Ecology and Systematics. John Leslie Dowe. 2010. ISBN: 9780643096158. 304 pp. Paperback. $125.00
Australian Palms offers an updated and thorough systematic and taxonomic treatment of the Australian palm flora, covering 60 species in 21 genera. Of these, 54 species occur in continental Australia and six species on the off-shore territories of Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and Christmas Island. Incorporating recent advances in biogeographic and phylogenetic research, Australian Palms provides a comprehensive introduction to the palm family Arecaceae, with reviews of botanical history, biogeography, phylogeny, ecology and conservation. Thorough descriptions of genera and species include notes on ecology and typification, and keys and distribution maps assist with field recognition. Colour photographs of habit, leaf, flowers, fruit and unique diagnostic characters also feature for each species. This work is the culmination of over 20 years of research into Australian palms, including extensive field-work and examination of herbarium specimens in Australia, South-East Asia, Europe and the USA.

Nelumbonaceae to Vitaceae: Water Lotuses to Grapes. 1st Edition. Robert H. Mohlenbrock. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8093-2894-9. 488 pp., 346 illustrations. Hardcover. $67.00
In this fourth and final installment in the Aquatic and Standing Water Plants of the Central Midwest series, veteran botanist Robert H. Mohlenbrock identifies aquatic and wetland plants in eight central Midwestern states, which include Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky (excluding the Cumberland Mountain region), Missouri, and Nebraska. Nelumbonaceae to Vitaceae: Water Lotuses to Grapes contains 346 highly informative and technically accurate illustrations as well as ecological information, nomenclature, and keys for plants in the aforementioned families, including white water lily, fireweed, smartweed, mild water pepper, hawthorn, and wild strawberry. Mohlenbrock identifies and describes each plant in concise and readable prose and indicates its usual habitats and the states in which it occurs. As with previous volumes, Mohlenbrock organizes each species into three groups: truly aquatic plants, which spend their entire life with their vegetative parts either completely submerged or floating on the water’s surface; emergents, which are usually rooted under water with their vegetative parts standing above the water’s surface; and wetland plants, which live most or all of their lives out of water. With Nelumbonaceae to Vitaceae, Mohlenbrock completes the four-volume series organizing and identifying wetland plants in the central Midwest. The botanical series will aid many, from teachers and students to state and federal employees, focused on conservation efforts and mitigation issues.

Catálogo de las Briofitas de Bolivia: Diversidad, Distribución y Ecología. Steven P. Churchill, et al. 2009. ISBN: 9789990596137. 340 pp. Hardcover. $30.00
This volume provides an introduction to the diversity, distribution and ecology of the 1,399 bryophytes of Bolivia. A checklist of 477 hepatics, 4 hornworts and 918 mosses presents information on associated ecoregion, elevational range, substrate and departmental distribution for each species.

Inventarios Botánicos del Área de Bella Vista, Departamento de Santa Cruz, Bolivia: Una Base para la Conservación.  Arroyo P. Luzmila, et al. 2009. ISBN: 9789990596120. 143 pp. Softcover. $25.00
An all plant inventory, this work provides information to assist the community of Bella Vista in their effort to developing a program of conservation and ecotourism. This is the first attempt to document plant diversity in the unique Vulcan region located at the knee of the Bolivian cordilleras. Description and analyses are provided for the principle forests represented – semideciduous Chiquitano and montane Tucuman-Bolivian. The catalogue contains information and listing of 116 bryophytes, 55 ferns, and 738 flowering plants.

Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa, Bd. 21/1. Freshwater Flora of Central Europe, Vol. 21/1: Fungi. 1: Lichens.
Büdel, B.; Gärtner, G.; Krienitz, L.; Preisig, H.R.; Schagerl, M. (Eds.). 2009. ISBN: 978-3-8274-1594-3. 224 pp., 180 illustrations with 20 in color. Hardcover. $89.95
Volume 21 of this series describes the aquatic fungi. The present Part 21/1 was published on 4. December 2008 and deals with freshwater lichens (symbiotic associations of a fungi with green algae or cyanobacteria), which can be found in most running water bodies with clean water and stable bedrocks. The freshwater lichen flora has a huge potential for bioindication of silting, bedrock stability, constancy of inundation and acidification. With less than 100 species, freshwater lichens are a rather small and systematically highly heterogeneous group of specialized fungi, which convergently adopted an amphibious lifestyle. They are representatives of several non related orders of Ascomycota. A comprehensive flora of Central European freshwater lichens was missing completely. This book is intended to fill that gap and to aid both the lichenologists as well as the non specialized environmentalist to efficiently and correctly identify European freshwater lichens. Detailed descriptions of all known amphibious taxa as well as photographs of most of the species are given. Keys include specialized freshwater species as well as a selection of taxa with a wide ecological amplitude, which are found at the borders of streams and lakes. In preparation is Part 21/2 covering the real fungi und fungi related micro-organisms.

Grasses of the Intermountain Region. Laurel K. Anderton & Mary E. Barkworth. 2009. ISBN: 9780874217650. 557 pp. Loose Leaf Binding. $74.95
Grasses are an integral component of almost all terrestrial ecosystems, both natural and artificial. In some areas they are conspicuous, dominating the vegetation over large areas; in others, they are easily overlooked, our eyes being drawn first to trees, shrubs, and colorful flowers. Nevertheless, they are, in many respects, the world`s most successful plants, growing from tropical rain forests to arctic tundra, from ocean beaches to freshwater streams and lakes, and from strongly saline to strongly acidic soils. Their success can be attributed to many factors, not least the ability of pooid grasses to grow in cold climates, a remarkable achievement for plants whose ancestors evolved in tropical forests. Other lineages are more conspicuous in warm climates, the andropogonoid grasses that are most abundant in areas with a monsoonal climate, and panicoid grasses that flourish in warm climates with more or less evenly distributed rainfall.

Sedges of Indiana and the Adjacent States: The Non Carex Species. Paul E. Rothrock. 2009. ISBN: 9781883362140. 271 pp. Hardcover. $45.00
This attractive publication is as relevant to gardeners as it is to natural areas biologists and plant taxonomists. It is a must have companion aide for plant taxonomy and aquatic macrophytes courses. The author, a Pennsylvania native, is Professor of Biology at Taylor University, in Upland Indiana. His research has focused on the taxonomy of the sedge family, especially the genus Carex. He is active in the Indiana Academy of Science and is the current IAS President.

From Plant Traits to Vegetation Structure: Chance and Selection in the Assembly of Ecological Communities. Bill Shipley. 2009. ISBN: 9780521117470. 290 pp. Hardcover. $120.00
Plant community ecology has traditionally taken a taxonomical approach based on population dynamics. This book contrasts such an approach with a trait-based approach. After reviewing these two approaches, it then explains how models based on the Maximum Entropy Formalism can be used to predict the relative abundance of different species from a potential species pool. Following this it shows how the trait constraints, upon which the model is based, are necessary consequences of natural selection and population dynamics. The final sections of the book extend the discussion to macroecological patterns of species abundance and concludes with some outstanding unresolved questions.

A Manual of California Vegetation, Second Edition. John Sawyer, Todd Keeler-Wolf, and Julie Evens. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-943460-49-9. 1312 pp. $92.00
California is famous for its beautiful plant displays across the landscape, known collectively as plant communities or vegetation, such as redwood forests. This guide to California’s plant communities focuses on conserving both the individual species and the surrounding habitat. The vegetation classification system introduced in the first Manual of California Vegetation has since become widely accepted as the state standard. This completely updated edition has been expanded to include the following:
* Over 485 descriptions, * 352 vegetation maps, * Descriptions of regional variation, * Detailed life history information, * Data on fire, flooding, and other natural processes, * Restoration and other management considerations, * Revised and expanded lists of references

Contemporary Plant Systematics - 4th edition. Dennis W. Woodland. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-883925-64-2. 666 pp. Hardcover and CD set. $97.99
This fourth edition of Contemporary Plant Systematics combines the latest in updated literature and additional plant family representations with innovative electronic media.
Among the features of this fourth edition are:
* New chapters on the latest developments in contemporary plant classification and the role of systematics in preserving plant diversity
* 500 all-new line drawings
* Detailed descriptions of 275 plant families, using one page or a double-page spread for each family, with all relevant drawings and descriptions
* More than 60 color plates with more than 500 color photographs of plant specimens
* The updated third edition of the University of Wisconsin Photo Atlas of Vascular Plants (on DVD), now with more than 8,500 plant images representing 325 plant families
* The all-new Interactive Keys to Vascular Plant Families of the World (on CD) for easy identification of plant families and cross-indexed to Contemporary Plant Systematics
* An extensive bibliography to world flora, with more than 1,000 listings.

Annual Plant Reviews Volume 38. Fruit Development and Seed Dispersal
Lars Ostergaard. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-4051-8946-0. 368 pp. Hardcover. $199.99
Fruit development and seed dispersal are major topics within plant and crop sciences research with important developments in research being reported regularly. Drawing together reviews by some of the world's leading experts in these areas, the Editor of this volume, Lars Ostergaard has provided a volume which is an essential purchase for all those working in plant and crop sciences worldwide.

Texas Cacti: A Field Guide. Brian Loflin and Shirley Loflin. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-60344-108-7. 312 pp., 483 color photos. 103 maps. Flexbound. $30.00
In Texas Cacti, authors Brian and Shirley Loflin present a concise, fully illustrated field guide to more than one hundred of the cacti most often found in Texas and the surrounding region. The book opens with an illustrated introduction to cactus habitat and anatomy. The species are then organized by stem shape, with each account featuring detailed color photographs, specific identifying features (including spines, flowers, fruits, and seeds) and information about common and scientific names, habitat, flowering season, and more. The photographs, range maps, and icons designating shape, conservation status, and blooming period, along with easy-to-understand descriptions, make this book a quick and friendly guide to cactus identification for botanists, amateur naturalists, and cactus enthusiasts alike.

The Encyclopedia of Herbs: A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance. Arthur O. Tucker and Thomas DeBaggio. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-88192-994-2. 608 pp., line drawings. Hardcover. $39.95
This meticulously researched compendium provides every aspect of growing, identifying, harvesting, preserving, and using more than 500 species of herbs. Thorough profiles provide a plant's botanical name and family, whether it is an annual or perennial, its height, hardiness, light requirements, water consumption, required soil type, and pH. The often fascinating history of the plant, the chemistry of its essential oils, and its culinary, landscape, and craft uses are also included, as is advice on how to propagate.

Lone Star Wildflowers: A Guide to Texas Flowering Plants. LaShara J. Nieland and Willa F. Finley. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-89672-644-4. 326 pp., 485 color photos. Paperback. $34.95
Each spring throughout the celebrated Hill Country and well beyond, locals and visitors revel in the palettes and variety of Texas wildflowers. From the Panhandle canyonlands to the islands of South Texas, from the eastern Pineywoods to the farthest reaches of the arid Trans-Pecos, some 5,000 species dot Texas's 268,820 square miles. Now Lone Star Wildflowers offers easy identification through color grouping and a wealth of insight from the origin of scientific and common names to growth cycles, uses, history, and native lore.

Wildflowers of Iowa Woodlands. Second Edition. Sylvan T. Runkel and Alvin F. Bull. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-58729-823-3. 280 pp., 128 color photographs. Paperback. $34.95
This classic of midwestern natural history is back in print with a new format and new photographs. Originally published in 1979, Wildflowers of Iowa Woodlands introduced many naturalists to the beauty and diversity of the native plants of the wooded communities that once covered more than 6 million acres of the state. Now redesigned with updated names and all-new images, this reliable field companion will introduce woodland wildflowers to a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts in the Upper Midwest. The species accounts are accompanied by brilliant full-page color photographs by Larry Stone, Thomas Rosburg, Carl Kurtz, and Linda and Robert Scarth. In clear, straightforward, and accessible prose, authors Sylvan Runkel and Alvin Bull provide common, scientific, and family names; the Latin or Greek meaning of the scientific names; habitat and blooming times; and a complete description of plant, flower, and fruit. Particularly interesting is the information on the many ways in which Native Americans and early pioneers used these plants for everything from pain relief to insecticides to tonics.

Flora de Nicaragua, Tomo IV, Helechos. W.D. Stevens, Olga Martha Montiel, Amy Pool, eds. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-930723-87-0. 349 pp. Hardcover. $109.00
Flora de Nicaragua, Helechos is the fourth volume of the series Flora de Nicaragua. It describes and illustrates 633 species of ferns in 114 genera. The three previous volumes of the Flora were published in 2001 and included 5796 species in 1699 genera in 225 families of seed plants, native or naturalized.The publication of this volume completes the flora of the vascular plants of Nicaragua. Flora de Nicaragua, Helechos is organized alphabetically by genus and species. The volume has species identification keys and concise descriptions of each genus and species. The species are illustrated in 151 plates. Also, each species found in Nicaragua has a distribution map and a preliminary evaluation of its conservation status there.

Flowers of Greece. 2 Volume Set. T. Lafranchis and G. Sfikas. 2009. ISBN: 2952162034. 878 pp., 3500 color photos (Two Volume Set + DVD). Softcover. $270.00
The aim of the two book set is to provide good coverage of the Greek Flora to aid naturalists, botanists and gardeners to identify plants they see in Greece. The most attractive groups of plants are presented in depth such as Dianthus, Viola and Campanula while other groups of plants such as Polygonaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Aramanthaceae are covered in slightly less depth. There is information on habitat and location as well as the flowering period. The inclusion of a DVD enables access to more than 13,000 photos and lists of plants found in Greece. Every other page has a range of small photos of the plant descriptions.

Flowering Plants of Thailand: A Field Guide. 4th Expanded Edition. Patrick D McMakin. 2009. ISBN: 9744801484. 203 pp., fully illustrated in color. Hardcover. $84.00
Flowering Plants of Thailand , Expanded Edition, includes a new chapter and over 60 additional of Thailand's most representative flora. Colour plates and descriptions of over 500 species make plant identification an enjoyable pastime for serious students, nature lovers, tourists or others who wish to learn the names and characteristics of Thailand's famed flowers. Divided into eight plant communities and easily keyed, this well-organized new edition becomes a valuable addition to any botanical library.

Flowering Plants: Smartweeds to Hazelnuts. 2nd Edition. Robert H. Mohlenbrock. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8093-2926-7. 304 pp. Hardcover. $65.00
Since the publication of the first edition of Smartweeds to Hazelnuts in 1987, thirteen additional species and one hybrid have been discovered in Illinois.  In addition, numerous nomenclatural changes have occurred for plants already known. This second edition updates the status of the Polygonaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Platanaceae, Fagaceae, Betulaceae, and Corylaceae in Illinois. Each of the newly discovered species has been added and is fully illustrated. Updated nomenclature as well as Illinois distributional data are included for each species. In addition to the fourteen new plant illustrations, the appendix contains new information on the descriptions and the geographical locations of plants in the first edition, and revised identification keys.

Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. James E. Eckenwalder. 2009. ISBN: 9780881929744. 744 pp., 67 color photos, 295 b/w photos, 240 line drawings, 67 distribution maps. Hardcover. $59.95
Researched for more than three decades, this definitive work provides up-to-date descriptions of all the true conifers of the world, including 545 species of trees and shrubs. Written for accessibility to both horticultural and botanical audiences, it is the first comprehensive update of conifer taxonomy in nearly a century. Noted conifer taxonomist James E. Eckenwalder also discusses the relationships among the groups, practical usages, champion trees, fossil occurrences, and biology. New identification guides for the families and genera are based whenever possible on foliage features and thus should be easier to use than traditional conifer keys, which focus on seasonal, and often microscopic, cone characters. Eckenwalder shares the reasoning behind his taxonomic decisions, many of which are unique to this book, reflecting a comprehensive reevaluation of conifer classification. He also outlines the features sought in cultivars of each genus, particular cultivation concerns, and conifers recommended for cultivation under various conditions and to achieve different effects. Some 3,000 cultivars have been available in recent times, more than five times the total number of conifer species. Several hundred original illustrations include drawings of the seed cones for all genera as well as for representative species. Maps of the natural distribution of each genus allow for easy comparison of ranges. Handsome black-and-white photographs of species in their natural habitats and attractive color photos further enrich the volume. More than 100 images reproduce foliage of many genera as an aid in identification.

Introduction to Bryophytes. Alain Vanderpoorten. 2009. ISBN: 9780521877121. 312 pp., 82 b/w illustrations, 16 color illustrations. Hardcover. $110.00
Bryophytes were a pivotal step in land plant evolution, and their significance in the regulation of ecosystems and the conservation of biodiversity is becoming increasingly acknowledged. This introductory textbook assumes no prior knowledge of bryophyte biology, making it ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as amateur botanists. The authors expertly summarise the diversity of bryophytes and outline recent advances in our understanding of their evolutionary history, their ecological roles and preferences, their distribution patterns and conservation needs. The text is highly illustrated throughout, with boxed summaries of topics of current relevance in bryophyte biology, and a glossary of technical terms.

Plant Systematics: An Integrated Approach. 3rd Edition. Gurcharan Singh. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-57808-668-9. 720 pp., 37 color plates, + CD-Rom. Paperback. $75.00
The focus of the present edition has been to further consolidate the information on the principles of plant systematic, include detailed discussion on all major systems of classification, and significantly, also include discussion on the selected families of vascular plants, without sacrificing the discussion on basic principles. The families included for discussion are largely those which have wide representation, as also those that are less known but significant in evaluating the phylogeny of angiosperms. The discussion of the families also has a considerable focus
on their phylogenetic relationships, as evidenced by recent cladistic studies, with liberal citation of molecular data. Several additional families have been included for detailed discussion in the present volume.

Plant Taxonomy: The Systematic Evaluation of Comparative Data. 2nd Edition. Tod F. Stuessy. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-231-14712-5. 568 pp., 60 halftones, 16 color illustrations, 105 line drawings, 16 tables. Hardcover. $99.50
The field of plant taxonomy has transformed rapidly over the past fifteen years, especially with regard to improvements in cladistic analysis and the use of new molecular data. The second edition of this popular resource reflects these far-reaching and dramatic developments with more than 3,000 new references and many new figures. Synthesizing current research and trends, Plant Taxonomy now provides the most up-to-date overview in relation to monographic, biodiversity, and evolutionary studies, and continues to be an essential resource for students and scholars.
This text is divided into two parts: Part 1 explains the principles of taxonomy, including the importance of systematics, characters, concepts of categories, and different approaches to biological classification. Part 2 outlines the different types of data used in plant taxonomic studies with suggestions on their efficacy and modes of presentation and evaluation. This section also lists the equipment and financial resources required for gathering each type of data. References throughout the book illuminate the historical development of taxonomic terminology and philosophy while citations offer further study. Plant Taxonomy is also a personal story of what it means to be a practicing taxonomist and to view these activities within a meaningful conceptual framework. Tod F. Stuessy recalls the progression of his own work and shares his belief that the most creative taxonomy is done by those who have a strong conceptual grasp of their own research.

Flora Iberica: Volume XIII. Plantaginaceae-Scrophulariaceae. 2009. ISBN: 9788400087470. 677 pp., 132 black and white figures with line illustrations. Spanish text. Hardback. $108.00
Just published this year, the most recent addition to the Flora Iberica series. The project aims to comprehensively describe the vascular plants of the Spanish peninsular and Balearic islands. This is one of the larger volumes in the series and covers genera in the families Plantaginaceae and Scrophulariaceae.

Flora of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: Mimosaceae - Lentibulariaceae. Peter Sell & Gina Murrell. 2009. ISBN: 9780521553377. 624 pp., 2 maps. Hardcover. $270.00
The third in a 5-volume series, this is the most comprehensive catalogue of the flora of Great Britain and Ireland--including native species, naturalized species, frequent garden escapes and casuals found in the British Isles. Full keys and descriptions enable the user to name all plants occurring in the wild, plus some ornamental trees and shrubs. For the first time detailed accounts of all the large apomictic genera are given and many infraspecific variants included. Each species entry begins with the accepted Latin name, synonyms and the common English name. A detailed description follows, including information on flowering period, pollination and chromosome number. Separate descriptions are given for infraspecific taxa. Information on the status, ecology and distribution (including worldwide distribution) of the species and infraspecific taxa is also given. Clear black and white line drawings illustrate an extensive glossary and also illuminate the diagnostic features in a number of groups of plants. This is a standard reference work that no British taxonomist should be without!

Parasitic Flowering Plants. Henning S. Heide-Jørgensen. 2008. ISBN: 9789004167506. 442 pp. Hardcover. $197.00
Parasitic flowering plants are strikingly impressive and beautiful and hold many surprises of both general and scientific interest. Parasites also have great influence on the quality of human life when attacking crop plants. Some parasites have since early times appealed to our imagination and have been part of religious or folkloristic events and used as gifts to royalties. This beautifully illustrated book covers all parasitic families and most of the genera. It also discusses the establishment of the parasite, the structure and function of the nutrient absorption organ (haustorium), and how the parasites are pollinated and dispersed as well as their ecology, hosts, and evolution. The book is written in a mostly non-technical language and is provided with a glossary and explanatory boxes.

Illustrated Moss Flora of Antarctica. Ryszard Ochyra, Ronald Lewis-Smith, & Halina Bednarek-Ochyra. 2008. ISBN: 9780521814027. 704 pp., 273 halftones, 42 plates. Hardcover. $260.00
Mosses are a major component of the vegetation in ice-free coastal regions of Antarctica. They play an important role in the colonisation of ice-free terrain, accumulation of organic matter, release of organic exudates, and also provide a food and habitat resource for invertebrates. They serve as model organisms for physiological experiments designed to elucidate problems of plant cold tolerance and survival mechanisms and for monitoring biological responses to climate change. This Flora provides the first comprehensive description, with keys, of all known species and varieties of moss in the Antarctic biome. It has involved microscopic examination of around 10,000 specimens from Antarctica and, for comparison, from other continents. All species are illustrated by detailed line drawings, alongside information about their reproductive status, ecology, and distribution. This is an invaluable resource for bryologists worldwide, as well as to Antarctic botanists and other terrestrial biologists.

A Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica. Margaret Gargiullo. 2008. ISBN: 0195188241. 544 pp., 1400 color illustrations. Hardcover. $74.50
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 description. Plants are conveniently grouped by the different types of vegetation: palms, tall trees, shrubs, woody vines, herbaceous vines, herbs, grasses and ferns. Along with 1400 color photographs, the guide also includes an illustrated glossary of plant parts, five maps of Costa Rica, and laminated covers for durability in the field. With so much readily accessible information, this book is essential for exploring Costa Rica's common and conspicuous flora from the plants growing along the roadside to the best natural parks.

Cacti of Texas: A Field Guide. A. Michael Powell. 2008. ISBN: 978-0-89672-611-6. 400 pp., 314 color photos, 124 maps. Softcover. $34.95
One hundred thirty-two species, subspecies, and varieties of cacti may be found in Texas. About one hundred of them occur in the state’s Trans-Pecos region, one of the most cactus-rich areas of the United States, but at least one kind can be found in every county of the state. This volume is an identification guide to the genera, species, and varieties of Texas cacti, with maps showing the distribution of each. Based on the comprehensive reference Cacti of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Regions (2004), by A. Michael Powell and James F. Weedin, this field guide provides briefer, less detailed treatments of the entire state’s species for educated general readers. More than three hundred beautiful full-color photographs of the cacti in flower and in fruit, each placed with its description in the text, highlight the book. Readers may identify cacti using color photographs of the plants, keys, distribution maps, and descriptions of the vegetative characters, flowers, and fruits. The introduction—full of details about the biology and morphology of the family Cactaceae and the uses, horticulture, and conservation of cacti—is an important reference for general readers. A glossary of cactus terms, an exhaustive list of literature, and a thorough index complete the book.

Guide to the Ferns and Lycophytes of REBIO Uatumã, Central Amazonia/Guia de Samambaias e Licófitas da REBIO Uatumã, Amazonia Central. Gabriela Zuquim, Flávia R.C. Costa, Jefferson Prado, Hanna Tuomisto, eds. 2008. ISBN: 9788599387085. 315 pp. Hardcover. $60.00
Created in 1990, the Reserva Biológica (REBIO) Uatumã protects almost 10,000 square km. of Amazonian rain forest and comprises a fascinating diversity of habitats for ferns and lycophytes. This richly illustrated book treats the ecology and identification of 120 species of ferns and lycophytes and provides a pleasant introduction to the fantastic world of these groups of plants. As a taxonomically up-to-date introduction to the most common ferns of the entire lowland Amazon basin, it is an extremely useful tool for novices and professionals alike. All text both in English and Portuguese. Color photos for every species. Glossary of terms (both text and line drawings).

Lost Crops of Africa: Volume III: Fruits. National Research Council. 2008. ISBN: 0-309-10596-X. 380 pp. Paperback. $99.00
This book is the third in a series evaluating underexploited African plant resources that could help broaden and secure Africa's food supply. The volume describes 24 little-known indigenous African cultivated and wild fruits that have potential as food- and cash-crops but are typically overlooked by scientists, policymakers, and the world at large. The book assesses the potential of each fruit to help overcome malnutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and create sustainable landcare in Africa. Each fruit is also described in a separate chapter, based on information provided and assessed by experts throughout the world. Volume I describes African grains and Volume II African vegetables.

Field Guide to Wisconsin Sedges: An Introduction to the Genus Carex (Cyperaceae). Andrew L. Hipp. 2008. ISBN: 978-0-299-22590-2. 280 pp., 62 color illustrations, 157 maps. Hardcover. $65.00
Sedges are among the world’s most diverse and ecologically important plant families, with almost two hundred species in Wisconsin alone. These grass-like plants, found mostly in wetlands, are increasingly popular with landscapers and home gardeners. Learning to identify sedges is challenging, however, and the available technical guides to the sedge family can be overwhelming to a nonspecialist. Field Guide to Wisconsin Sedges is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the largest sedge genus, Carex, which alone makes up about 7 percent of the flora of the Upper Midwest. Written primarily for naturalists, wild plant enthusiasts, and native landscapers, this book is unique in its accessible format and illustrations. With this book, readers can learn to recognize key structures needed to identify approximately 150 Carex species found in Wisconsin. Author Andrew Hipp shows how to identify many of the major groupings of sedges that are used in guides to the genus throughout the world. For botanists who are not experts on sedges, he also provides guidelines for distinguishing among similar species. Readers should be able to identify more than 90 percent of the sedges they find in the field using no more than this guidebook and a hand lens. Field Guide to Wisconsin Sedges includes information on habitat and range drawn from Hipp’s extensive field experience and inspection of thousands of herbarium sheets. 

Mountain Wildflowers of the Southern Rockies: Revealing Their Natural History. Carolyn Dodson. 2008. ISBN: 978-0-8263-4244-7. 192 pp., 143 color photos, 48 line drawings, 1 map. Paperback. $27.95
More than a field guide, Mountain Wildflowers of the Southern Rockies offers cultural and botanical essays that present useful and fascinating facts about seventy-five species of wildflowers, including strategies for survival, plant evolution, origins of common and scientific plant names, family characteristics, and their roles in human history.
The Laramie and Medicine Bow Mountains of southern Wyoming, the principal ranges in Colorado, and the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, and Sandia Mountains in New Mexico are home to over a thousand species of wildflowers. The striking samples included here were selected not only because they are characteristic of this region, but also because they have interesting stories to tell. Grouped by family and arranged in natural order, each featured profile is accompanied by a color photo and most include a drawing by wildflower artist Walter Graf.

Acanthaceae to Myricaceae: Water Willows to Wax Myrtles. Robert H. Mohlenbrock. 2008. ISBN: 0-8093-2790-2. 416 pp., 327 illustrations. Hardcover. $67.00
Acanthaceae to Myricaceae:  Water Willows to Wax Myrtles, the third of four volumes in the Aquatic and Standing Water Plants of the Central Midwest series.  This easy-to-use illustrated reference guide covers aquatic and standing water plants for the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kentucky (excluding the biologically distinct Cumberland Mountain region of eastern Kentucky), from spearmint to wintergreen, from aster to waterwort. 
The volume identifies, describes, and organizes species in three groups, including truly aquatic plants, which spend their entire life with their vegetative parts either completely submerged or floating on the water’s surface; emergents, which are usually rooted under water with their vegetative parts standing above the water’s surface; and wetland plants, which live most or all of their lives out of water, but which can live at least three months in water. Mohlenbrock lists the taxa alphabetically, and within each taxon, he describes the species with the scientific names he deems most appropriate (indicating if his opinion differs from that of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), common names, identification criteria, line drawings, geographical distribution, habitat description, and official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetlands designation as described by the National Wetland Inventory Section in 1988.

Physiological Ecology of Tropical Plants. 2nd Edition. Ulrich Lüttge. 2008. ISBN: 978-3-540-71792-8. 458 pp., 302 illustrations. Hardcover. $79.95
Since the publication of the first edition of this book ten years ago, international research into the physiological ecology of plants in the tropics has increased enormously in quantity and quality. This brand new edition brings the story right up to date. New approaches have been developed in remote sensing. At the other end of the scale, molecular biology has come on in leaps and bounds, particularly regarding ecological performance of tropical plants, e.g. in understanding the adaptation of resurrection plants to the extreme habitat of inselbergs. In this fully revised and updated second edition the wealth of new information has made it necessary to break large chapters down into smaller ones. Tropical forests which occupy about half of the entire volume of the book are now arranged in five chapters covering structure and function under the influence of environmental cues and including epiphytes and mangroves as part of the tropical forest complex. Savannas are now treated in two chapters. Meanwhile, coastal salinas have been combined with a new section on the Brazilian restingas in a chapter on coastal sand plains.

Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Texas. Paul Martin Brown.  2008. ISBN 13: 978-0-8130-3159-0. 336 pp., 295 color photos, 96 b/w illustrations, 69 maps. Paperback. $34.95
Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Texas is the first native orchid field guide to cover each of the Lone Star State's eco-regions.
This valuable and comprehensive resource for the orchid taxonomist, dedicated enthusiast, or casual hiker and lover of the outdoors covers more than 50 species and orchid varieties, several of which are new to Texas and, in some cases, even brand-new to the orchid world. It also includes numerous color and growth forms. This handy guide includes all the essential tools--field photographs, diagnostic line drawings, and useful reference keys--to quickly and easily identify an orchid discovered in the wild. A checklist of the state's wild orchids and charts listing optimal flowering times and distribution by region make this guide user-friendly year-round. In addition to the many insider orchid-hunting tips, botanist Paul Martin Brown recommends trip itineraries offering the fullest viewing of native orchids at their peak seasons.

Mushrooms and Other Fungi of the Midcontinental United States. Second Edition. By D. M. Huffman, L. H. Tiffany, G. Knaphus, and R. A. Healy. 2008. ISBN: 1-58729-627-6. 384 pp., 300 color photos, 21 drawings. Paperback. $39.95
This completely revised second edition provides all the information necessary to identify mushrooms in the field in the midcontinental region of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin: the tallgrass prairies and the western parts of the eastern deciduous forests.
The first edition has been improved in significant ways. The authors have updated scientific names, added photos where there were none and replaced poor photos with better ones, improved the keys, added some species and deleted others, added a section on truffles, and annotated the bibliography. There were originally 224 species; now there are 248. Some of the new photos-125 in all-serve as a second photo for a species, where it is helpful to show details that cannot be viewed in a single photo.
The authors describe each species' cap, gills, stalk, annulus, and season when it is most likely to be seen as well as such characteristics as edibility and toxicity. In their detailed and lively introduction they discuss the economic and environmental aspects of fungi, basic mushroom biology, nomenclature, edibility and toxicity, and habitats and time of fruiting. Most important are the keys, which lead the dedicated reader to the major groups of fungi included in this guide. The section on mushrooms includes keys to their genera in addition to the species within each family discussed, and each of the subsequent sections has a key to the genera and species except where so few species are discussed that a key is not necessary. The volume also includes a glossary and two bibliographies, one with general and one with technical references.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical: Garden & Resort. Kampon Tansacha. 2007. 231 pp., fully illustrated in color. Thai and English Language. Hardcover. $127.00

Cycads of Vietnam. Roy Osborn, Ken D Hill, Hiep T Nguyen and Loc Phan Ke. 2007. ISBN: 9780646464459. 116 pp., illustrated, color  photos, tabs, maps. Hardcover. $40.00
Vietnam's cycads, many of which have been named only in the last 10-15 years, occupy a variety of specialised habitats. Some are obligate beach-dwellers, some live only in the northern mountains, some occur on small offshore islands, while some grow in tiny crevices on near-vertical limestone cliffs. Many are found in areas of spectacular natural beauty. Vietnam's cycads are as diverse in their morphology as they are in their habitats. Some have a tree-like form reaching 12 m in height while others are bonsai-like dwarfs. Some have strange swollen "elephant's foot" trunks. Some have pinnate leaves reaching 4.5 m in length while others have multiple leaf bifurcations. In "Cycads of Vietnam", each of the 27 species is described in detail with line drawings, maps and numerous photographs illustrating points of interest.

Plantas Utiles del Ecuador: Aplicaciones, Retos y Perspectivas / Useful Plants of Ecuador: Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives. Montserrat Rios, et al. 2007. ISBN: 9789978226841. 652 pp. In both Spanish and English. Hardcover. $65.00
This book is a compendium of local knowledge of plants found in the diverse ecological regions of Ecuador, a country known for its unrivalled diversity of plant species, as well as for its numerous cultural groups. As such, it places itself in an important position in the crisis of tropical forests and also in a cultural crisis of the loss of indigenous knowledge. Over the last 30 years the Herbarium of the "Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador", Quito (QCA), has been a depository for plant specimens, collected for a variety of purposes. The editors of this catalogue have painstakingly sifted through the entire collection, extracted the data, and presented it in a systematic and organized manner. The information is made available in an easy to use format accessible to a much larger audience. Furthermore, the information presented has been classified into a system of categories of plant uses. This book is not an ethnobotanical study in itself, but rather a tool for researchers who want to know more about the uses of plants in Ecuador. It also reflects the tremendous diversity of the use of plants in this county. The message of this book is one of conservation. The forest and natural vegetation of Ecuador are disappearing at an alarming rate, giving place to much less diverse cattle fields and agricultural lands. Although the country obviously depends on these economic activities, it is often forgotten that the forests and other vegetation types house innumerable plant species that are of immense importance to local cultural groups and that also represent economic potential. This book documents these alternatives and hopefully will inspire further research into the local knowledge of the plant species of Ecuador.

Plants of the Four Winds: The Magic and Medicinal Flora of Peru. Rainer W. Bussman and Douglas Sharon. 2007. ISBN: 9780978996239. 596 pp. In both English and Spanish. Softcover. $34.95
Northern Peru occupies the middle sector of the "health axis" of the Central Andean cultural area stretching from Bolivia to Ecuador. Few other places on the planet boast a medicinal flora as rich as this region. Archeological evidence traces the use of plants in traditional healing and divination practices back at least 2,000 years. Five hundred years of suppression of traditional healing practices starting in colonial times and continuing to manifest in the prejudices of contemporary national administrations have not managed to destroy this tradition. The most serious threat to this millennial tradition is the destruction of plant habitats. Climatic change and deforestation are threatening the mountain forest systems that are the source of many medicinal species. Most importantly, the high Andean ecosystems and sacred lagoons are in danger of being destroyed by large-scale mining activities. This illustrated identification guide for 510 medicinal plants of Northern Peru and their uses will hopefully help to keep the extensive traditional knowledge of this area alive.

Plants of Longevity: The Medicinal Flora of Vilcabamba. Rainer W.Bussman and Douglas Sharon. 2007. ISBN: 9780978996222. 253 pp. In both English and Spanish. Softcover. $22.95
In Latin American countries, herbal medicine is deeply rooted and is practiced extensively by a broad cross-section of the larger society. Often it is an economically inevitable alternative to expensive Western medicine.
Andean societies have used plants for physical therapy and psychosomatic ailments for millenia. The use of hallucinogens, in particular the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) is a vital component in Andean healing practices, and has been practiced for at least 2,000 years. Traditional knowledge is transmitted orally from one generation to the next by traditional healers, shamans, or curanderos, and has survived the rigors of the Spanish conquest, the Inquisition, and extensive mestizaje or racial intermixing. Southern Ecuador, famous for the "valley of longevity" around Vilcabamba, is among the areas with the highest biodiversity worldwide. A total of 215 species of medicinal plants are now on record. This illustrated field guide will hopefully help to keep the traditional knowledge in this area alive.

The Encyclopaedia of Antique Roses. Vol. IV. R.E. Edberg. 2007. ISBN: 0-9722787-3-7. 149 pp. Hardcover. $210.00
Containing 60 full-size (8 & 1/2” x 11”) full-colour laser-printed facsimile reproductions of the original chromolithographs of roses as published in the French “Journal des Roses”, January, 1894, through December, 1898. Western ARS members will remember Bob Edberg as an Associate Editor of Modern Roses 11, and as a 1999 recipient of the Lester F. Harrell Award from the Huntington Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California, “for significant contributions to the study, preservation and popularity of old roses”. Included with the English translation is the original French descriptive text for each rose, plus 5 obituaries and a Foreword by Milton Nurse, the editor of the “Historic Rose Journal” of the Royal National Rose Society.  The 148 text pages and 60 coloured plates are printed on acid-free archival stock; the book is 9 inches wide by 12 inches long by about 1 & 1/2 inches thick. Vol. I $210.00 Vol.II $220.00 Vol.III $195.00

Robert Wight and the Botanical Drawings of Rungiah & Govindoo. H. J. Noltie. 2007.
Book 1. The Life and Work of Robert Wight
Book 2. Botanical Drawings by Rungiah & Govindoo: the Wight Collection
Book 3. Journeys in Search of Robert Wight

This trilogy forms the second in a series of illustrated works devoted to collections of botanical drawings made by Indian artists for Scottish surgeon-botanists, held in the library of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. In the central volume are reproduced some 200 of the drawings commissioned between 1826 and 1853 by Robert Wight (1796-1872) from the artists Rungiah and Govindoo. The first volume documents Wight's life and work as an East India Company surgeon and his major contributions to taxonomy and economic botany. The third volume is a travelogue, describing the author's journeys in search of Wight in Britain and India.
A fascinating tale emerges of the exploration of the South Indian flora, and of the workings of the East India Company who were always on the look out for potentially exploitable natural resources. While most of Wight's botanical work (including the commissioning of the drawings) was done in his leisure time, and paid for from his own pocket, the Company from 1835 employed him as an economic botanist, and for ten years he was in charge of an experiment on the cultivation of long-staple American cotton based around Coimbatore. Wight employed local plant collectors who travelled widely through South India, often accompanied by an artist. These journeys took them through what are now the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Many of the resulting collections are held in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, where Wight studied botany in 1816 and 1817 - these include some 23, 000 herbarium specimens and 500 original drawings.
In 2005 the taxonomic part of the project was published as The Botany of Robert Wight. This dealt with the taxonomy and nomenclature of Wight's more than 1200 new species and 100 new genera, and won the 2005 Stafleu Medal awarded by the International Association of Plant Taxonomists.
The purpose of the present work is to make these wonderful drawings (only eight of which have ever been published in colour) available to a wider audience: they represent a fascinating and important part of the shared culture of Britain and India.
Approx. 500 pp. about 300 figures. ISBN of set: 978 1 906129 02 6: set price $255.00

Plant Names: A Guide to Botanical Nomenclature. Roger Spencer. 2007. ISBN: 9780643094406. 176 pp. Paperback. $49.95
Plant Names is a plain English guide to the use of plant names and the conventions for writing them as governed by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. It covers the naming of wild plants, plants modified by humans, why plant names change, their pronunciation and hints to help remember them. The final section provides a detailed guide to web sites and published resources useful to people using plant names. The book incorporates the latest information in the most recently published Botanical and Cultivated Plant Codes, both of which are technical scientific publications that are difficult to read for all but the most dedicated botanists and horticulturists. From botanists to publishers, professional horticulturists, nurserymen, hobby gardeners and anyone interested in plant names, this book is an invaluable guide to using the potentially confusing array of scientific, commercial and common names.

Monocots: Comparative Biology and Evolution, Poales. J.T. Columbus. 2007. ISBN: 978-0-9605808-7-5. 682 pp. Hardcover. $125.00 This volume and its companion, Monocots, Comparative Biology and Evolution, excluding Poales 2006, contain papers presented at the Third International Conference on the Comparative Biology of the Monocotyledons, Monocots III, and the Fourth International Symposium on Grass Systematics and Evolution, Grasses IV, hosted by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California, in 2003. This work contains 42 original scientific papers from the conferences whose goals were, in part, to offer a strong core program in systematics while incorprating newer, relevant fields such as developmental biology and genomics,and to address the timely and challenging issue of data integration.

Florula de la Reserva Ecologica Inkaterra. Luis Valenzuela G. 2007. ISBN: 978-603-45043-0-1. 448 pp. Softcover. $35.00
In the late 1980s, Dr. Alwyn H. Gentry and Dr. Enrique Forero conceptualized the idea of local floristic inventories that would culminate in the publication of descriptive floras of areas previously selected in Amazonian Colombia and Peru. ... The project in Colombia was conducted in the Amacayacu National Natural Park, in Amazonas, and concluded with publication of the Flórula del Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu, Amazonas, Colombia, in 2005. In Peru, projects were conducted in two selected areas: in Iquitos, culminating in publication of the Flórula de las Reservas Biológicas de Iquitos, Perú: Allpahuayo-Mishana, Explornapo Camp, y Explorama Lodge, in 1997; and in the Reserva Cusco Amazónico (today called Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica) in the Madre de Dios region, culminating in the presentation of this work. The Flórula de la Reserva Ecológica Inkaterra compiles all currently known vascular species in the Reserve and nearby areas, such as Rolin Island, Concepción Field Station (ATI), and Lake Sandoval. ... The work consists of two main parts: the introduction and the descriptive flora, which includes 127 families, 593 genera, and 1,266 vascular plant species.

The Macrolichens of New England: Descriptions, Color Illustrations, Identification Keys, Conservation Status. James W Hinds and Patricia L Hinds.
2007. ISBN: 0-89327-477-1. 600 pp. Hardcover. $65.00
With over 600 pages, 400 color illustrations, and 35 years of fieldwork, research, and photography by the authors, The Macrolichens of New England is the most comprehensive work of its kind. The volume includes: descriptions of 98 genera and 461 species; an introduction to general lichen morphology; a glossary of terms for less experienced readers; advice on collecting lichens and performing chemical tests; a review of the ecological role of New England lichens and the geography, geology, climate, conservation status, and major biogeographical zones for lichens in New England; identification keys, both general and genus-specific, to 502 species, including the 461 New England species and 41 additional species known from adjacent states and provinces that could occur in this region; and synonyms, misapplied names, common names, morphology, chemistry, worldwide range, usual substrate, distribution in New England, and comparisons with similar species.

Brazilian Fruits & Cultivated Exotics for consuming in nature. Harri Lorenzi. 2006. ISBN: 85-867174-24-0.  672 pp., 1214 color photos. Hardcover. $95.00
It is the largest work ever published on fruit in Brazil, covering 827 different kinds of native and exotic fruit consumption in nature. It is the result of extensive research on the subject in the last 5 years in the whole Brazilian territory.