This is the first color-illustrated guide to polypores and similar fungi specific to the eastern and central regions of the United States and Canada. Welcoming and comprehensive, it accurately presents the currently available information about polypores, emphasizes identification based primarily on macroscopic field characters, and includes observational data drawn from the authors’ extensive experience. It includes new species and genera; addresses changing nomenclature; and provides details about polypores’ biology, morphology, composition, role as parasites, interactions with various arthropods, and purported medicinal applications. The book also highlights how changes in geology, soil structure, and plant species due to factors such as continental drift and climate change have affected the evolution of polypores. Featuring more than 240 species of polypores, extensive and easy-to-use dichotomous keys, and more than 300 color illustrations and multiple maps and line drawings, it is a must-have for amateur and professional mycologists, forest service personnel, mycophagists, and anyone interested in learning more about this remarkable group of fungi.

Trees have starred in stories ever since Ovid described the nymph Daphne's metamorphosis into a laurel, and the landscape of literature has long been enlivened by wild woodlands, sacred groves, and fertile orchards. This delightful collection ranges from Ovid to Austen and from Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest (via Thomas Love Peacock's Maid Marian) to Washington Irving's 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'. Here are forest-haunted fairy tales both classic (the Brothers Grimm) and inventively retold (Angela Carter). There is room in these woods for comedy as well as terror, in Stella Gibbons's Cold Comfort Farm, and Alexander McCall Smith's 'Head Tree'. Notable writers from around the world contribute arboreal fiction-from South Africa, Finland, France, Zimbabwe, Russia, Martinique, and India, as well as Britain, Ireland, Canada and America. From Daphne du Maurier's 'The Apple Tree' to R. K. Narayan's 'Under the Banyan Tree', the sheer range of stories in these pages will leave readers refreshed and dazzled.

This field guide includes all the flora and fauna you're most likely to see in the forests of eastern North America. With 53 full-color plates and 80 color photos illustrating trees, birds, mammals, wildflowers, mushrooms, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects.

Half of the ancient woodlands present in 1945 have been destroyed, replanted with conifers or cleared for cereal production, roads and building development. The intention of this book is to present evidence of our deep cultural need for trees and woods and to inspire people to take care of them. Trees, and indeed woods, know no distinction between town and country; they are close to everyone. If we are to combat local pollution, make even the slightest impact on global warming, enjoy our surroundings and share them with many other creatures, we need trees: trees here and trees now. If we are to nourish more than our prosaic needs we need their longevity, their beauty, their generosity. Trees stand for nature and culture. We shall stand or fall with them.

Foraging has seen a surge in popularity over recent years, driven by the organic, natural, local and wholesome lifestyles many now prefer. And knowing how to find food for free in the wild is beneficial whether you want to avoid eating overly processed foods, need to cope with modern dietary problems or would simply like to enjoy a bit more time with your family outdoors surrounded by nature. This brand new guide to foraging for families and amateur naturalists is full of information about natural habitats and where to find food in the wild. It includes descriptions of each edible plant, with accompanying illustrations and photos, as well as recipes and anecdotes. The book is organised by habitats, such as woodland, grassland, farmland or coast, to allow readers to engage with whatever natural landscape they walk through and help them understand why things grow where they do. Each plant entry will be accompanied by a colour artwork to assist with identification. Detailed black-and-white illustrations will provide extra guidance and photographs will bring modern foraging to life in a colourful and engaging way. Every section will also include tried-and-tested recipes from the author allowing readers to use what they forage to make something tasty for the kitchen table.

The largest edible fruit native to the United States tastes like a cross between a banana and a mango. It grows wild in twenty-six states, gracing Eastern forests each fall with sweet-smelling, tropical-flavored abundance. Historically, it fed and sustained Native Americans and European explorers, presidents, and enslaved African Americans, inspiring folk songs, poetry, and scores of place names from Georgia to Illinois. Its trees are an organic grower's dream, requiring no pesticides or herbicides to thrive, and containing compounds that are among the most potent anticancer agents yet discovered. So why have so few people heard of the pawpaw, much less tasted one? In Pawpaw-a 2016 James Beard Foundation Award nominee in the Writing & Literature category-author Andrew Moore explores the past, present, and future of this unique fruit, traveling from the Ozarks to Monticello; canoeing the lower Mississippi in search of wild fruit; drinking pawpaw beer in Durham, North Carolina; tracking down lost cultivars in Appalachian hollers; and helping out during harvest season in a Maryland orchard. Along the way, he gathers pawpaw lore and knowledge not only from the plant breeders and horticulturists working to bring pawpaws into the mainstream (including Neal Peterson, known in pawpaw circles as the fruit's own "Johnny Pawpawseed"), but also regular folks who remember eating them in the woods as kids, but haven't had one in over fifty years. As much as Pawpaw is a compendium of pawpaw knowledge, it also plumbs deeper questions about American foodways-how economic, biologic, and cultural forces combine, leading us to eat what we eat, and sometimes to ignore the incredible, delicious food growing all around us. If you haven't yet eaten a pawpaw, this book won't let you rest until you do.

This book successfully combines a most enjoyable and detailed account of the well-known author's many journeys through China. First and foremost, Travels in China provides a practical assessment of the plants that are either of ornamental merit or botanical interest to gardeners in the West. Roy Lancaster describes some 1,000 different plants in their natural habitat and provides an eminently readable account of a fascinating country, its people, and the plants that have enriched the gardens of Europe and North America. Hundreds of Lancaster's own attractive and colourful photographs are reproduced, interspersed with fascinating descriptions and anecdotes from his travels. This is a book about plants from a country so rich in variety that there are 50% more species on one mountain in China than there are in the whole of the British Isles. Indeed, the wide range of climatic conditions in a country as vast as China makes this book relevant to all gardeners, be they from Norway or Spain, the United

A full-color illustrated guide to the natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth This richly illustrated book provides an in-depth natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth, covering everything from the lethal effects of hemlock and deadly nightshade to the uses of such plants in medicine, ritual, and chemical warfare. Featuring hundreds of color photos and diagrams throughout, Plants That Kill explains how certain plants evolved toxicity to deter herbivores and other threats and sheds light on their physiology and the biochemistry involved in the production of their toxins. It discusses the interactions of poisonous plants with other organisms--particularly humans-and explores the various ways plant toxins can target the normal functioning of bodily systems in mammals, from the effects of wolfsbane on the heart to toxins that cause a skin reaction when combined with the sun's rays. This intriguing book also looks at plants that can harm you only if your exposure to them is prolonged, the ethnobotany of poisons throughout human history, and much more. A must for experts and armchair botanists alike, Plants That Kill is the essential illustrated compendium to these deadly and intriguing plants. Provides an authoritative natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth Features hundreds of color illustrations throughout Looks at how and why plants produce toxins Describes the effects of numerous poisonous plants, from hemlock and deadly nightshade to poppies and tobacco Explains poisonous plants' evolution, survival strategies, physiology, and biochemistry Discusses the uses of poisonous plants in medicine, rituals, warfare, and more

Set in a world where plants talk, friendship is hard-won and adventure is around the bend of every river ... 'Townsend has crafted an uncannily rich and tactile atmosphere, grounding the reader in the setting so successfully that I could almost feel the river mist settling in my hair.' SARAH DRIVER 'Just finished this breathless marvel and there's so much to love about it. Wild and imaginative storytelling, it introduces us to talking oaks, poisonous rock and a central character with a lot to prove.' FLEUR HITCHCOCK Orla has lived on her own since Ma died, with only her beloved garden for company. When sickness comes and nature is blamed, Orla knows she must find a cure. Armed with her mother's book of plants and remedies, she steals away on a river boat with two other stowaways, Idris and Ariana. Soon the trio must navigate the rapids of the Inkwater to a poisonous place from which they may never return ... The debut novel from an astonishingly talented new writer A wild rapids-ride of a story, suffused at every turn with authentic details of the natural world A gorgeous gifty book: a flapped paperback with illustration by Marie-Alice Harel.

Legumes of the Great Plains: An Illustrated Guide is an invaluable tool for the identification of more than 114 species of legumes in the Great Plains. In addition to a distribution map, botanical illustration, and an in-depth botanical description, this comprehensive guide describes the habitat, uses and values, pollinators, forage value for livestock and wildlife, toxic properties, and ethnobotany of each species. The botanical synonyms and other common names-including those used by the Great Plains Indians-are also provided. This volume includes more than one hundred similar species with a description of how each differs from the main species. This reference book is indispensable to anyone interested in grassland and prairie conservation and management, the Great Plains, botany, or modern taxonomy.

Learn to identify, collect, and prepare wild edibles! Step into your backyard, garden, or nearby green space, and harvest an abundance of free, nutritious, and organic greens, tubers, and fruits. Foraging in North America introduces you to 12 widely accessible wild plants that can be gathered safely. Compared to cultivated garden plants, these wild edibles require no care, are hardier, and are amazing sources of nutrients. Throughout much of our history, wild plants were the mainstay of human diets. They were rich in micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals that nurtured good health and strong immune systems. Foraging in North America is a simple guide that introduces readers to those foods—including such overlooked superfoods as dandelions, lambs quarters, and nettles. Learn how to find and identify those wild edibles and more, while avoiding toxic or inedible look-alikes. Expert forager Tom Anderson also shares tips on best practices for collecting and even some ideas on how to prepare your finds for the table, based on 30 years of experience. The easy-to-use information is accessible for everyone from beginners to experts. Foraging is also an excellent family activity. It helps children to learn about the natural world while simultaneously giving them the satisfaction of contributing to the household. Bring this photo-illustrated quick guide on your next outing. Its pocket-sized format makes it easy to tuck into a daypack, camping cook kit, or glove compartment.

Also known as "The Natural Remedy Bible," "The Herb Book" provides a comprehensive resource for building a livelier, healthier, happier life. More than 2,000 listings offer remedies for ragged nerves, nightmares, and coughing fits as well as suggestions for adding spice to recipes, coloring fabrics, freshening breath, and a host of other benefits. Complete and concise descriptions of herbs, illustrated by more than 275 line drawings, offer the most comprehensive catalog of "miracle plants" ever published.
Written by an expert and pioneer in the field, this easy-to-use reference features three parts. The first presents introductory historical information and background for using the rest of the book. The second part features individual numbered listings of medicinal plants with their botanical descriptions and uses. The third part emphasizes the variety of uses for the plants listed in Part 2, including mixtures for medicinal treatments, nutritious and culinary plants, cosmetic and aromatic purposes, plant dyes, and other applications. The book concludes with a captivating look at plant-related astrology, lore, and legends.

An exuberant tale of craftsmanship for nature lovers and rugged outdoor types everywhere Robert Penn cut down an ash tree to see how many things could be made from it. After all, ash is the tree we have made the greatest and most varied use of over the course of human history. Journeying from Wales across Europe and Ireland to the USA, Robert finds that the ancient skills and knowledge of the properties of ash, developed over millennia making wheels and arrows, furniture and baseball bats, are far from dead. The book chronicles how the urge to understand and appreciate trees still runs through us all like grain through wood.

The CABI Encyclopedia of Forest Trees provides an extensive overview of 300 of the world's most important forest trees. Tropical, subtropical, temperate and boreal trees of major economic importance are included, covering tree species used in agroforestry practices around the world. Many of the species covered are considered to be 'multipurpose' trees with uses extending beyond timber alone; the land uses such as watershed protection or provision of windbreaks, and non-wood uses such as the production of medicines, resins, food and forage, are also listed. Comprehensive information is presented on each tree's importance, with a summary of the main characteristics of the species, its potential for agroforestry use and any disadvantages it possesses. The tree's botanical features such as habit, stem form, foliage, inflorescence, flower and fruit characters and phenology are covered in detail with over 70 colour plate pictures to aid identification. Also included are specific sections devoted to pests and diseases, distribution and silvicultural characteristics and practices, including seed sowing, nursery care, planting, thinning, and harvesting. In addition to the wealth of information detailed, based on datasheets from CABI's Forestry Compendium, selected references for further reading are provided for each entry, making this book an essential reference work for forestry students, researchers and practitioners.

Learn to identify Minnesota trees with this handy field guide, organized by leaf type and attachment. With this famous field guide by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make tree identification simple, informative, and productive. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of trees that don't grow in Minnesota. Learn about 93 species found in the state, organized by leaf type and attachment. Just look at a tree's leaves, then go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 93 species: Every native tree plus common non-natives Easy to use: Thumb tabs show leaf type and attachment Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan's Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes updated photographs; expanded information; a Quick Compare section for leaves, needles, and silhouettes; and even more of Stan's expert insights. So grab Trees of Minnesota Field Guide for your next outing-to help ensure that you positively identify the trees that you see.

Beautiful blooms don't require a green thumb when you make them from paper! Everything included to make 20 unique paper flowers from 8 fabulous designs, including a daisy, daffodil, rose, and more. Use the punch-out petals and wired stems to assemble your flowers, then use the custom shaping tool to create realistic looking petals. Finally, decorate with glitter glue and rhinestones to make them extra fabulous! Let your creativity bloom as you fill your space with beautiful bouquets that will never wilt! WHAT YOU GET 24 pages of punch-out sheets Rhinestones Glitter glue Shaping tool Wire stems WHAT IS KLUTZ? Klutz is a premium brand of book-based activity kits, designed to inspire creativity in every child. Our unique combination of crystal-clear instructions, custom tools and materials and hearty helpings of humour is 100% guaranteed to kick-start creativity. Super-clear instructions Open-ended creativity Rewarding reading Skills to build on Everything you need