Wild orchids evoke a particular and sometimes addictive fascination among naturalists, botanists, and wildflower enthusiasts. With few exceptions, these singular plants cannot be moved and propagated successfully, and so, to ensure their survival, they must be protected and sought out in their native habitats. This definitive guide facilitates their discovery and enjoyment.*Covers all orchids growing wild in New England, New York, and adjacent areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.*Includes illustrated keys to the genera and species and a checklist of northeastern orchids.*Describes in alphabetical order 71 orchid species and varieties, with a drawing of each, and full information on more than 50 forms and hybrids.*Features 192 full-color photographs of the orchids in their native habitats, along with 71 distribution maps. *Suggests where to find the orchids.*Provides a bibliography and a glossary. *Bound with a durable cover for use in the field.

"A labor of love. An exhaustive study, both comprehensive and precisely outlined."--Andy Easton, American Orchid Society

"The best one-volume field guide available for orchid enthusiasts and wildflower lovers. . . . Sophisticated and thorough enough to satisfy the most ardent field enthusiast and simple and straightforward enough to encourage the greenest novice."--Helen K. Jeude, "Flora of North America North of Mexico" project

Wild orchids bloom in virtually every habitat of every state and province of the continental United States, Canada, and Greenland. Orchid fanciers and collectors--a large and fervent segment of the general public--will welcome Paul Martin Brown's comprehensive, illustrated checklist and field guide to the exotic world of these elegant and intriguing flowers.

This annotated guide is packed with up-to-date information and enhanced by stunning color photographs and extraordinary drawings of each species, subspecies, and variety, many highlighting unusual color or growth forms. It provides identification, full distribution range, recent synonyms, and all subspecies varietal and forma information for all 247 taxa as well as comments about the special aspects of each species. Taxonomy and distribution data directly complement information in the "Flora of North America" project and the parallel dichotomous keys will be useful in the field.

The guide covers 223 species, 24 subspecies and varieties, 103 growth and color forms, and 24 hybrids. With its personal checklist and easy-to-read format, "Wild Orchids of North America" is perfect for the hobbyist, while offering a concise scientific reference for naturalists, botanists, and advanced orchid enthusiasts.

Paul Martin Brown is a research associate at the University of Florida Herbarium, Florida Museum of Natural History.

Native orchids are increasingly threatened by pressure from population growth and development but, nonetheless, still present a welcome surprise to observant hikers in every state and province. Compiled and illustrated by long-time orchid specialist Paul Martin Brown, this pocket guide to the fringed orchids forms part of a series that will cover all the wild orchids of the continental United States and Canada. Brown provides a description, general distributional information, time of flowering, and habitat requirements for each species as well as a complete list of hybrids and the many different growth and color forms that can make identifying orchids so challenging. For the fringed-lipped orchids, which make up some of the most intriguing and richly colored of all wild orchids, he includes information on fourteen species and thirteen hybrids. The genus Platanthera is the largest genus of orchids to be found in North America north of Mexico; the fringe-lipped group is found primarily in the eastern U.S. and Canada, extending west to the prairies and Great Plains. The fringed orchids, so-called because of the delicately fringed petals and lips on many of the species, comprise some of the largest and showiest native orchids found in our region. Most of these species are easy to identify based upon their general appearance, range, and time of flowering. Answering three simple questions - when, where, and how does it grow? - and comparing the living plants with the striking photos in the backpack-friendly laminated guide and the information in the simple key should enable both professional and amateur naturalists to achieve the satisfaction of identifying a specific orchid.