There are dozens of titles that focus on specific areas of the Cape, or on specific types of plants that occur there. None of the simpler publications for the general public have tackled the integration of vegetation regions and the distribution of woody plants of this diverse area. Sappi tree spotting Cape successfully explores the wonder of trees and shrubs from the rocky dry Richtersveld in the west, through the Kalahari sands and the spiky survivors of the arid Karoo. It includes the Proteas and the towering giants of the forests of the south. The series, and now this last title, can make a difference on so many levels: They keep the terminology simple; they show you the right place to look for the right tree. They ID the striking features. These trees do not need a complex system of "keying" because they are instantly recognisable. The other four books are Sappi tree spotting Lowveld, Bushveld, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape and Highveld.

This volume is the first guide to identify mushroom species not commonly classified or illustrated elsewhere in current literature. The book, which will serve as a companion to other popular field guides, shows how to distinguish lesser-known mushrooms from other common fungi. Found in a variety of habitats in North America, each species has an accurate and up-to-date description, a color illustration, and detailed information on its distinctive species characteristics. The book is written for the amateur and professional mycologist alike. Anyone, however, who is interested in collecting mushrooms will find it a valuable contribution to the field.

The Lake District is one of our busiest national parks. Many people believe that wildness is long gone from the fells, lakes, tarns and becks, yet, within its boundaries, Jim Crumley sets out to prove them wrong - to find "a new way of seeing and writing about this most seen and written about of landscapes". With a naturalist's eye and a poet's instinct he is drawn to Lakeland's turned-aside places where nature still thrives, from low-lying shores to a high mountain oakwood that's not even on the map. Through backwaters and backwoods, Crumley traces this captivating land's place in the evolution of global conservation and pleads the case for a far-reaching reappraisal of all of Lakeland's wildness.

A colourful, illustrated celebration of wild plants around the world, and why we should love them not loathe them, with 50 graphic illustrations by Paul Farrell. To call a plant a weed is doing it a real injustice. It's simply a wild plant that is not deliberately cultivated, growing where it is not wanted. By this definition, virtually any plant outside a carefully tended garden is a weed. The intolerance of weeds is a mark of how we have turned our backs on nature and urbanized our land and lives. In this enlightening survey, illustrator Paul Farrell uncovers the wild beauty in weeds and explains the benefits of rewilding ourselves a little. Weeds can be medicine, food, and an important aid for wildlife. One person's weed is another's wild beauty. Paul's brilliant modernist illustration style shows us dandelions, thistles and feverfew in a whole new light. Each of the 50 weeds featured is accompanied by a quirky history and its uses in medicine, cooking, arts and even industry. Sample contents: US/Canada weeds: Dandelion; Daisy; Groundsell; Chickweed; Nettle; Wild carrot; Sumac. UK/Europe weeds: Foxglove; Deadly nightshade; Yarrow; Rosebay willowherb; Herb Robert; Scarlet Pimpernel; Violet; Wood Sorrel; Red valerian; Common knapweed

"A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement that will make you acknowledge your own entanglement in the ancient and ever-new web of being."--Charles Foster, author of Being a Beast Are trees social beings? In this international bestseller, forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration he has observed in his woodland. After learning about the complex life of trees, a walk in the woods will never be the same again. Includes a Note From a Forest Scientist, by Dr.Suzanne Simard

The Book of the Tree is a celebration of trees in art featuring works by some of the world's leading artists, photographers and illustrators.

"The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way." William Blake

From stately old oaks to beautiful forests and woods, trees have provided a source of inspiration for artists throughout history.

This charming gift book presents a selection of some of the most beautiful artworks inspired by trees. Interspersed throughout the illustrations are short texts about the artists and their interest in particular trees, from Egon Shiele's delicate watercolours of chestnut trees, to Rousseau's exotic forests, Claire Cansick's vivid woodlands and Hockney's tree-lined groves.

The Book of the Tree presents a wonderful collection of arboreal art that revels in the enduring beauty of our trees, woodlands and forests. It is the perfect gift for art-lovers, tree-lovers and nature-lovers.

The definitive, fully-illustrated guide to the trees of Britain and non-Mediterranean Europe. This brand-new field guide to the trees of northern Europe contains some of the finest original tree illustrations ever produced. The introduction contains illustrations of the main leaves, buds, and firs you are likely to find, and these provide the starting point for identification by leading you to a 'key' species. Within each tree family there is a list of key species and a guide to the most important features to look for when identifying a particular tree from that family. Then individual species are clearly described and a detailed illustration is given on the same page. Covering all the tree species found outside the major arboretums, from the olive tree to the eucalyptus, this is one of the most important tree guides to have appeared in the last 20 years. The illustrations are annotated with essential identification features, and the text highlights the most important things to look for to aid fast and accurate identification. There is also coverage of all the species native to Southern Europe.

Experience the joy of discovering the natural world around you with this beautiful pocket guide to British wild flowers, an inspiration and treat designed to enthral all nature lovers. Leading botanical artists specially commissioned to ensure beautifully detailed illustrations feature the most widely common British wild flowers. Species are described and illustrated on the same page, with up-to-date authoritative text aiding identification. They are arranged by family, with their key features highlighted for quick and easy reference. This is an indispensable guide for all those with an interest in the countryside, whether amateur or expert, and is beautifully packaged to lend itself both as gift or self-purchase.

Simon & Schuster's Guide to Mushrooms is indispensable to anyone fascinated by mushrooms and other fungi. Lavishly illustrated, it contains detailed information about 420 types of mushrooms and other fungi found in the United States and Europe. The comprehensive introduction provides general information on the structure, reproduction, life cycles, classification, and distribution of the various species and describes the individual parts of the fungus as well. The entries describe the appearance, habitat, and geographic distribution of each species of fungi. The easy-to-use visual key provides each entry with immediately recognizable symbols that indicate spore color, ecological environment, and whether the species is edible or poisonous. A glossary and analytical index, plus an Index to Genera for locating particular subjects, help make this the most beautiful, valuable, and authoritative book in the field.

"A vivid, important, and inspiring book."-- Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sixth Extinction and Under a White Sky "Eloquently mulls the ecological dynamics of forests as well as the social, economic, cultural, and political forces that determine their fate."--LA REVIEW OF BOOKS A powerful book about the decline and recovery of the world's forests--with a provocative argument for their survival. In A Trillion Trees, veteran environmental journalist Fred Pearce takes readers on a whirlwind journey through some of the most spectacular forests around the world. Along the way, he charts the extraordinary pace of forest destruction, and explores why some are beginning to recover. With vivid, observant reporting, Pearce transports readers to the remote cloud forests of Ecuador, the remains of a forest civilization in Nigeria, a mystifying mountain peak in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and the boreal forests of western Canada and the United States, where devastating wildfires are linked to suppressing the natural fire cycles of forests and the maintenance practices of Indigenous peoples. Throughout the book, Pearce interviews the people who traditionally live in forests. He speaks to Indigenous peoples in western Canada and the United States who are fighting to control their traditional forested lands and manage them according to their traditional practices. He visits and speaks with Nepalese hill dwellers, Kenyan farmers, and West African sawyers who show him that forests are as much human landscapes as they are natural paradises. The lives of humans are now imprinted in forest ecology. At the heart of Pearce's investigationis a provocative argument: planting more trees isn't the answer to declining forests. If given room and left to their own devices, forests and the people who live in them will fight back to restore their own domain.

The Field Guide to the Succulent Euphorbias of southern Africa by Alma Moeller and Rolf Becker is a pioneer publication on euphorbias in southern Africa. It is a beautifully illustrated, full colour identification guide that makes it easy for the layperson as well as anybody interested in the flora of southern Africa to identify a particular species. The Guide contains: Introductory chapters containing general information about the species characters, how to identify an euphorbia, growing euphorbias in cultivation, gardening with euphorbias, medicinal and other uses, herbaceous species and invaders. Detailed descriptions of 224 species, including emphasis on distinguishing features, habitat, distribution maps, conservation status, scientific and known common names, as well as notes on similar species. Similar looking species are grouped together in 18 species groups, based on easily recognisable morphological characters. Group 19 contains previously undescribed species, and Group 20 contains species of uncertain status. More than 870 full-colour photographs and illustrations. Taxonomic classification. Glossary and index to scientific and common names.

Picking mushrooms in the woods on a sunny day can be fun for the whole family . . . but only if you do it safely There are thousands of different species of fungi, so it can be hard to tell which are edible and which are poisonous when you are picking them for yourself in the wild. Safe and unsafe species often closely resemble each other, and worrying about which mushrooms are safe and which might be deadly can take all the fun out of mushrooming. Enter "Mushrooming with Confidence"

Improving on the usual overwhelming and exhaustive wild plant guidebook, "Mushrooming with Confidence" is a slim, handy manual that focuses on the tastiest and most common mushrooms, so that you can easily spot those that are not only safe to eat, but also a delight to cook and share

Here mushrooms are divided into four identification categories so that anyone will be able to recognize what he or she is looking at quickly and correctly. Thirty of the most common and delicious types are explained in detail, from the common field mushroom to the pretty purple amethyst deceiver and the prolific and tasty charcoal burner. Each mushroom includes a "Positive ID Checklist" that the reader can go through to be absolutely certain they have the right species, and more than 300 color photographs make it a snap to know exactly what kind of mushroom you've found . . . and whether you really want to pick it

With lists of the best tools for mushrooming, the best techniques for getting a mushroom out of the ground in one piece, and even how to remove worms, "Mushrooming with Confidence" will extinguish any fear or doubt that might stop you from hunting down your own delicious mushrooms. This will prove a fun and essential guide for novice and experienced pickers alike

Two-sided plastic laminated cards developed by a teacher of marine science. Color drawings, common and scientific names, information on size and habitat.

Namaqualand is justifiably famous for the floral wonderland it becomes in spring, when seas of bright flowers carpet the land. Astonishingly, the carpet comprises some 3,800 species, of which 28% are endemic.

This book introduces nearly 600 species, highlighting those most commonly found, most conspicuous, spectacular or interesting, as well as endemics. An introduction touches on the species selection for the book, the climatic and topographical subregions within Namaqualand, plant names and uses, and conservation issues.

The concise species descriptions also give seed and fruit details, uses, local growing conditions and fl owering times, along with beautiful full-colour photographs. This is a must-have guide for visitors to Namaqualand, or for anyone interested in the wild flowers of southern Africa.

Looking for a faster, easier, and engaging way to identify plants? Related plants have similar characteristics, and they often have similar uses. Rather than learning new plants one-at-a-time, it is possible to learn them by the hundreds, based on plant family patterns.

Each family of related plants has unique patterns for identification. Learn to recognize these patterns, and discover them again and again in the plants you encounter. It is possible to instantly recognize a plant never before seen, and in many cases, to know its edible or medicinal properties on the spot-even before you have identified it down to the species

Featuring 250 of the region's most interesting and commonly encountered succulents, Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa is a guide to the identification of these increasingly popular plants.

Colour photographs vividly portray all the species covered. Authoritative text describes key identification features. Distribution maps show the occurrence of each species in Southern Africa.

This guide will have wide appeal both to naturalists and to the gardening public who, increasingly, are on the lookout for indigenous, low-maintenance and waterwise plants.

This innovative book features traceable illustrations of thirty different types of trees, as well as their leaves, seeds and flowers. Great for nature lovers, aspiring creatives and those looking for a soothing escape. The process of tracing each tree is both meditation and education, bringing you closer to one of the planet's oldest, most majestic living organisms. The book contains drawings of thirty tree species, including leaves & seeds. Its observational drawing, but you don't need to be sitting in a forest. You can be at home, or in a coffee shop, or on your lunch break. Information on the species and geography on each page.

The essential photographic guide to Ireland's wildlife. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife describes almost all the mammals, birds, fish and butterflies of Ireland likely to be encountered by the keen amateur naturalist, as well as all the common and widespread flowers, trees and shrubs. With over 1,000 colour photographs, this comprehensive guide illustrates every species described. The introduction by Ireland's best known wildlife expert, Derek Mooney, sets out where you can find the best of Irish wildlife. Reptiles and amphibians, insects and spiders, molluscs and other invertebrates are also featured, and species are organised taxonomically. Each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference and species are grouped according to natural relationships and similarities. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife is a book no nature lover should travel without.

100 Australian Wildflowers is a beautifully illustrated book that can be used as a handy field and planting guide, as well as being a visual feast for the eyes. Through fanciful botanical illustrations, matched with fun and detailed descriptions, author and illustrator Mel Baxter (aka Moonshine Madness) guides you through 100 native Australian flowering plants. These wildflowers will tell stories of cultural, historical and spiritual significance, and in some cases, planting these species in suitable conditions may help tackle some of the environmental issues we face. Each flower's profile takes an intimate look at its habitat, and the exciting and dramatic lives of some of the flora and fauna that exist around it. Profiles also include traditional and edible uses by First Nations people, with many of the plant names listed in First languages. With a strong focus on conservation, this book features a basic planting guide, advice on growing your own wildflower meadow, and information on where to find these flowers in the wild. Take a trip through the Australian bush with 100 Australian Wildflowers and be inspired to cultivate your own relationship with wildflowers and connect with Australia's landscapes.

Celebrate the weird, wacky, and wonderful world of plants with a book that revels in the diversity of the botanical world. Plants are truly awe-inspiring. They can be vast, minute, smelly, or spectacularly ugly. Some plants live on their own, or by growing off others; some live by air and water; others are carnivorous, eating the creatures around them; some plants look remarkably like animals; while others have unusual symbolism; and some have special cultural significance. This book explores them all, bringing together the most peculiar and most fascinating plants on the planet - celebrating them in all their diverse splendour. Split into five chapters, covering everything from poisonous plants to painkilling ones, Michael Perry explains exactly what makes each plant special. With exquisitely detailed illustrations of all the different species, this is an informative, humorous, and beautiful gift for all those who love plants - whether they want to grow them or not. Hortus Curious delivers a different way to view the plant world and enjoy it for its bonkers and bizarre. The book is split into five chapters, covering: - Plants Behaving Badly - the criminal world of plants such as poisonous plants, insect catching plants, and plants that do risky things - Mistaken Identity - plants that look like other things, e.g. flowers that look like monkeys, bees, or even dead man's fingers - Greater Good - did you know that aspirin comes from a plant? This chapter explores the plants that make up our everyday products - Superheroes - find out about the plants that can disguise themselves, changing colour, shape or even moving themselves - X-rated Plants - a selection of the rudest plants out there! A humorous and quirky gift book for people interested in plants and gardening, Hortus Curious is sure to delight.

Discover the life of trees through science, folklore, history and art – every day of the year. Immerse yourself in the world of trees with A Tree A Day – packed with tree facts and richly illustrated throughout with photographs and art. Nature writer Amy-Jane Beer takes us on a tour around the world’s woodlands to tell the stories of a variety of trees, from mysterious ginkos to historical oaks. Anyone who has sat in the dappled shade of a mighty oak or wandered in the blaze of a deciduous woodland in autumn cannot fail to appreciate the wonder of our trees and forests. Each of the 366 entries in this beautiful book – one for every day of the year – reveals some of the fascinating science, natural history or folklore of our great and gracious green neighbours, the history made beneath their branches, or the creativity they inspire. From the awesome Californian redwoods, titans of the tree world, to tiny but exquisite bonsai, and from the fantastically irritable sentinel willow of Harry Potter fame to the Japanese springtime tradition of hanami (blossom viewing) – this captivating collection showcases remarkable individuals and explores some of the ways trees support life on Earth as we know it. Celebrating one of the longest-living lifeforms on earth, A Tree A Day is forest bathing in book form and a wonder for nature lovers and tree enthusiasts alike.

A captivating A-Z treasury for the tree hugger in all of us Treepedia is an entertaining and fact-filled illustrated compendium of tree lore. Featuring nearly 100 entries-on topics ranging from tree ecology and conservation to the role of trees in religion, literature, art, and movies-this enticing collection is a celebration of all things arboreal. In this charming book, Joan Maloof explains the difference between a cedar and a cypress, and reveals where to find the most remarkable trees on the planet. She tells the story behind the venerable Bodhi Tree, and describes peculiar species like baobabs and Fitzroya. Maloof profiles legendary conservationists such as Julia "Butterfly" Hill, John Muir, Wangari Maathai, and Ken Wu. She discusses reforestation, proforestation, emerald ash borers, the ents from The Lord of the Rings, culturally modified trees, the ill-fated and controversial Redwood Summer, and much more. The book's portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your love of the forest may lead you. With enchanting illustrations by Maren Westfall, Treepedia is a fun and informative book that is guaranteed to inspire anyone who has ever enjoyed a walk in the woods. Features a real cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design Uses 100 percent recycled, uncoated, wood-free paper

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.