Plant Families: A Guide for Gardeners and Botanists

Most of us think of plants as belonging to one big family, but they don't. There are actually hundreds of different plant families, which botanists have grouped together using what they know of their family histories and genealogy, to bring some sense and order to more than quarter of million different plant species. Using this knowledge, we can teach ourselves to see similarities of characteristics between plants and get a pretty good idea of which family they belong to. GENEALOGY FOR GARDERNERS presents the enormous diversity shown by the many families of plants in a way that is easy to understand, whether one's interest lies in natural history or with horticulture. The superb illustrations make it exceptionally attractive and accessible book. Information boxes on most pages highlight interesting facts, unexpected relationships, botanical curiosities, and notable members of plant family groups. Readers can make sense of the enormous biological diversity of the plant kingdom, by piecing together family likenesses and genealogical connections.