First published by the Big Bend Natural History Association in 1988 as Trees & Shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas, this book is the only keyed guide to the more than 400 species of woody plants native to the Trans-Pecos region and adjacent areas in eastern New Mexico and northern Mexico. A. Michael Powell has significantly revised and expanded this edition, including nomenclature changes for 62 genera and new distribution information for 60 genera.

One hundred thirty-two species, subspecies, and varieties of cacti may be found in Texas. About one hundred of them occur in the states 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 states 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. This guide was designed for use by naturalists and hobbyists as well as serious students. Visitors to the national parks, state parks, and other natural areas of Texas will find it essential to identifying the cacti.

Ferns are usually thought of as plants of moist, humid regions, and at first glance the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, a rugged portion of the arid Chihuahuan Desert, does not appear to be a likely location for ferns and their relatives. Yet in many seemingly unsuitable dry habitats, on shadowed slopes, in canyons, and near springs, seeps, and streams can be found sixty-four species of ferns and fourteen species of fern allies. This book is a complete review of the true ferns as well as the related spikemosses and scouring rushes of the Trans-Pecos. In a concise, readable introduction, the authors describe the region, which ranges in topography from desert floors to mountain peaks of over eight thousand feet, and the variations in climate and soils that allow ferns to survive in specific habitats. In clear language they describe the morphology, reproduction, and adaptability of ferns and fern allies. Detailed keys to the Trans-Pecos families, genera, and species allow anyone to identify an unknown fern from the region. The species descriptions give full scientific names, common names, synonyms, and descriptions of locations where the fern can be found, including specific information on their occurrence in Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Wherever necessary, the species descriptions provide information on species that may be confused. Other features of the book are a quick identification guide, a checklist of the ferns and fern allies of the region, a glossary of terms, and a list of references. The book is illustrated with detailed line drawings of the habit and details of the plants, and distribution maps with each ferns description show where the species can be located in the region. This book will be a valuable guide for anyone interested in the plant life of far western Texas and adjacent areas in the Chihuahuan Desert.