Reviews (1)

Handbook of African Medicinal Plants
This book documents the importance of herbs on the continent of Africa. In addition, the author details the scientific terminology and the medicinal usages within short and succint paragraghs in an effort for quick study and reference. The significance of tropical plants goes back for thousands of years to the present. These herbs are used with Pharmaceutical medicines and natural usages. Without such herbs, the world would be at a loss for healing. Plants supply humans with oxygen and medicines. Handbook of African Medicinal Plants gives you the best look at the world of herbs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An authoritative text on edible plants.
This was an excellent text in its time, and it was worthy of a five star rating when published. However, this out of print book is also somewhat out of date. That's not to say it has no value, but there are newer books available which are far superior in content and coverage, not to mention being more up to date in their vernacular. (The Latin names and names of Families are often changes as more knowledge is gained to better classify plants.) One book which should be in print for some time and is far superior in many many ways is "Cornucopia II: A source Book of Edible Plants." Be sure to get the newest edition, which is truly a five STAR text. A final note. These books are not pictoral. If you want to ID a plant in your backyard, then you need a different type of book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent introduction to a fascinating field
Balick and Cox's book provides an excellent introductory text for the field of ethnobotany. It covers a wide range of material, including medical ethnobotany, the origins of foods and indigenous stewardship of crop biodiversity, materials science, plant toxins and hallucinogens, and ethnobotanical approaches to conservation. Contrary to the last reader's opinion, the authors make clear their deep concern for indigenous rights. Cox, for example, personally took out a loan for the building of a school in Samoa, as described in Nafanua, another excellent book. Other issues discussed also reveal the authors' attempt to further indigenous well-being. In work with the Akimel O'Odham in southern Arizona, Gary Paul Nabhan was able to demonstrate the nutritional value of their traditional diet, which had been largely forsaken for all-American junk food, thus leading to severe obesity and heart problems in a people biologically adapted to a harsh desert diet. Thus in many cases, the results of ethnobotanical research can have practical, beneficial effects upon the lives of indigenous peoples.

Good Information--Bad Judgements
Although this book is full of great photos, interesting information about the plants and the worlds where they come from, the authors are clearly more interested in exploiting the knowledge of the natives than attempting to appreciate the unique tribes, their customs AND the plants they use. This book should be called "The Plants We Can Take from Less Advanced People Than Ourselves". ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive book introduces readers to the aquaculture industry.It covers every aspect of aquaculture, including history, potential, descriptions, management, feeding, marketing, and diseases of aquatic animals and plants.Also addressed are the water requirements and chemistry necessary for successful aquaculture.The book offers detailed information on employment opportunities in the aquaculture industry and stresses the science of aquaculture. Chemistry, biology, and anatomy and physiology are included to ensure that readers understand the fundamental principles.A complete chapter is dedicated to those interested in exploring career opportunities in the industry. ... Read more

Book Description

"Landscape Estimating and Contract Administration" can be used for students at technical schools and colleges who are studying landscape design, installation and maintenance.It is also an excellent reference manual for managers with landscape contracting companies, and landscape architects and designers. ... Read more

Book Description

The growth, reproduction and geographical distribution of plants are profoundly influenced by their physiological ecology: the interaction with the surrounding physical, chemical and biological environments. This textbook is notable in emphasizing that the mechanisms underlying plant physiological ecology can be found at the levels of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and whole-plant physiology. At the same time, the integrative power of physiological ecology is well-suited to assess the costs, benefits and consequences of modifying plants for human needs, and to evaluate the role of plants in ecosystems.

Plant Physiological Ecology begins with the primary processes of carbon metabolism and transport, plant-water relations, and energy balance. After considering individual leaves and whole plants, these physiological processes are then scaled up to the level of the canopy. Subsequent chapters discuss mineral nutrition and the ways in which plants cope with nutrient-deficient or toxic soils. The book then looks at patterns of growth and allocation, life-history traits, and interactions between plants and other organisms. Later chapters deal with traits that affect decomposition of plant material and with plant physiological ecology at the level of ecosystems and global environmental processes.

Plant Physiological Ecology features numerous boxed entries that provide extended discussions of selected issues, a glossary, and numerous references to the primary and review literature. The significant new text is suitable for use in plant ecology courses, as well as classes ranging from plant physiology to plant molecular biology. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent reference book
I use this book as a starting point on specific topics in plant physiology & ecophysiology from the plant cell to plant global communities. Indeed, it is not an intro course in plant physiology and very broad but I would recommend this book for graduate students, it is helpful.

A complex book - not for the beginner
This book covers a lot of ground, beginning with photosynthesis, plant-water relations, and plant energy balances before discussing ecological aspects of plant physiology. While it follows a logical progression from the cell to the ecosystem scale, the book is very difficult to read. The authors try to cover too much material in the book, omitting basic material in order to broaden the focus of the book. Therefore, it is definitely not for those who are looking for a basic book in either plant physiology or plant ecology. As a textbook, it is difficult for undergraduate students to understand, and seems to be geared towards graduate students and those already familiar with the field. ... Read more

Book Description

Picking up where typical field guides leave off, this handy reference takes an ecological approach, providing complete descriptions of 85 plants found in fields, open meadows, and along roadsides--from Ailanthus to Yucca--as well as wildlife communities associated with them. Written in an engaging manner, this book helps readers identify dry-land plants, discusses what other organisms, plant and animal, might be found in the same area, and explains why. ... Read more

Book Description

Prickly and frequently taking strange shapes, cacti often thrive when given minimal care, and sometimes languish when owners "nurse them to death." This handsomely illustrated book introduces plant growers to the basics of cactus care and cultivation, then presents an alphabetized, photo illustrated directory of roughly 50 varieties--from Acanthocalycium to Uebelmannia pectinifera. Only avid plant lovers need remember the scientific names. More practical for plant growers, and shown in stunning photographs, is the magnificent variety of cactus flowers that blossom from the fascinating shapes of these plants. In addition to the identifying photos, each plant profile includes information on original region of growth and growth period. Readers get instructions for care, propagation information, and the botanical designation for each cactus plant shown. Cactus enthusiasts will also find sidebar tips that cover everything from water, soil, and light needs to the origins of some of the more interesting cactus names. This remarkable book features more than 275 color photos, a glossary, a directory of American and Canadian cactus societies, supply sources, and a detailed index. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My First Book Ever on Cactus Care.
I have been an avid cactus fan since I was very young (I'm 16 now), but I never had a really good book on cacti until now. This one is concise, comprehensive, and offers a wide range of gorgeous color photos. Sure, it was the only one my local bookstore had. But by the same token, it is excellent, and not too expensive either. For the cactus lover.

Great for beginners and early collectors
Enough information for beginners to start with and valuable information for early collector to keep in mind. EXCELLENT ILLUSTRATIONS!. It has a great variety of species for the size of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

In northern temperate regions, the fungus Heterobasidion annosum is the main cause of disease-related economic losses in coniferous trees. This book, the first devoted to this fungus, provides a comprehensive survey of all aspects of the research. ... Read more

Book Description

Although Chinese medicine views pain as one aspect of a pattern, focusing on pain as the main presenting symptom is a practical approach to arriving at a diagnosis. This text gives a thorough and analytical review of the diagnosis and treatment options for pain, using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Based on the clinical experience of the author and supported by the expertise of respected acupuncturists in Chinese universities, THE TREATMENT OF PAIN WITH CHINESE HERBS AND ACUPUNCTURE offers a comprehensive, detailed set of treatments for a wide variety of pain symptoms and conditions. Detailed modifications of specific treatments help the reader adapt theories to clinical practice. ... Read more

Book Description

In the spring, California's rolling hills, green valleys, and coastal slopes are colored with wildflowers treasured by both residents and visitors to the state. First published more than forty years ago, this popular guidebook has helped thousands of amateur and intermediate wildflower enthusiasts learn the names of the flowers located in some of the state's loveliest and most accessible areas--from below the yellow pine belt in the Sierra Nevada westward to the coast. Thoroughly revised and updated throughout, it is now easier to use and more accurate--the perfect guide to take along on outdoor excursions in California and surrounding regions.

* Includes 244 new color photographs and 102 detailed drawings

* Now describes more than 400 wildflowers emphasizing the species most likely to be encountered in the state today

* Plant descriptions now include more detail, helpful identifying tips, and locales where flowers are likely to be seen ... Read more

Book Description

Loaded with helpful hints and easy-to-understand examples, this book covers the type of mathematical problems that face golf course superintendents every day. How to handle budgeting estimates, apply fertilizers and pesticides accurately, the ordering of topdressing, irrigation volume and coverage, area and volume calculations, and many other parts of golf course operation require a thorough understanding of basic mathematical principles. This book has the solution you need! Example problems, and the answers, along with additional practice material is guaranteed to help you get the job done right. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book is Misnamed....
It should be named something like the "Essential Math Reference Book for Farmers, Landscapers, Golf Course Superintendants, Nursery Managers etc." What a wonderful and easy to use reference book for anyone dealing with the frustrating world of area measurements, volume/fertilizer/pesticide/irrigation/seeding rate calculations, and spreader and spayer calibration. I've worn out one copy and am on my second. I use it on my farm, at work as a pesticides applicator, and in my landscaping business. This is a must-have book for folks like me that hate math but have to use it almost everyday....believe me your money won't be wasted on this one and it won't just collect dust on your shelf. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides students and researchers in plant sciences with a concise general account of plant biochemistry. The edited format allows recognized experts in plant biochemistry to contribute chapters on their special topics. Up-to-date surveys are divided into four sections: the cell, primary metabolism, special metabolism, and the plant and the environment. There is a strong emphasis on plant metabolism as well as enzymological, methodological, molecular, biological, functional, and regulatory aspects of plant biochemistry. Illustrations of metabolic pathways are used extensively, and further reading lists are also included.

Key Features
The coverage of the subject is divided into four sections:
* The plant cell-describing both molecular components and function
* Primary metabolism-including the pathways of carbohydrate, lipid, nitrogen, nucleic acid and protein metabolism as well as gene regulation
* Special metabolism-chapters on phenolics, isoprenoids and secondary nitrogen compounds
* The plant and the environment-discussions of pathology, ecology and biotechnology at the molecular level ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that the smell of sassafras blowing offshore convinced Columbus he was near land? Or that the American sycamore, which has the largest tree trunk in the eastern forest, can live for 500 to 600 years? Or that in the period before the American Revolution, patriots designated a sycamore tree in each colony as a "Liberty Tree" -- a meeting place for plotting against the British?

These facts are just a few of thousands you'll find inBotanica North America, an encyclopedia of the wonderfully diverse North American native plants by noted Canadian garden writer Marjorie Harris. This charming compendium is filled with more than 420 entries that provide essential information on each plant's physical attributes, natural history, common uses, and ethnobotany. There are also fascinating, often surprising anecdotes about plants you won't find anywhere else. From the Eastern forest to the desert, this beautifully written volume roves across the continent exploring how climate and plant life have affected, aided, and inspired us, from the first Native Americans to North Americans living in the twenty-first century: "The lonely majesty of a wind-swept jack pine has inspired generations of poets and painters," Harris writes. "These trees endure in spite of terrible weather . . . a jack pine forest has a dense, closed canopy with an understory of cherry, blueberry, hazels, bracken, and sweet fern along with trailing arbutus."

Comprehensive and engaging, Botanica North America is also filled with lush photographs of plants in their natural habitat and insightful quotes from a variety of gardening experts and amateurs, from naturalist Rachel Carson to famed conservationist John Muir.

Here is a reference no gardener or environmentalist should be without.

Reviews (2)

A Fitting Tribute to Our Native Plants
Botanica North America is a hefty tome at a little over 650 pages (and I'm guessing over 5 pounds), but the necessity of such a length is explained by the subtitle. Indeed, it would seem an overwhelming task to encapsulate in a book the history, botany, and traditional uses of North America's native plants. Who would even dare try? We can thank Marjorie Harris.

For this comprehensive volume, this prolific and admired Canadian author sought information and opinions from hundreds of experts throughout North America. The acknowledgments alone are over three, packed pages long, so we know that Harris consulted thousands of knowledgeable individuals, and she collected photographs from among the most talented artists on the continent.

Throughout the book, Harris conveys a reverence for our natural world and the plants that inhabit it. She writes with an ecologist's view, noting that "If the point of this book is to honor native plants, it is also to honor their history, the secrets they have shared, the role they have played and must continue to play in the survival of our species. . . . We are the stewards of this land and if we do our best . . . to save as much of their habitat as possible, then we will be giving these plants the respect they deserve."

To organize such a daunting task, Harris divided North America into the following regions: the Eastern Forests (covering the Northeast and Southeast); Swamps and Wetlands; Florida; The Boreal Forest; The Prairie; The Desert; California; Montane; The Tall Trees; and The Tundra.

The profile of each region begins with several pages of overview that introduce each area and capture its essence. Then Harris concentrates on the plants that are critical to the region and have been historically important to the human inhabitants. She organizes the plants by family, and each species she highlights is described through its botanical structure, ethnobotany, and natural history.

One feature I especially appreciate is this book's "browsability." I can pick it up just to admire the photos if I wish. Or I can thumb through, picking up captivating quotes by nature writers and early explorers, from William Bartram to Walt Whitman. Or I can browse the plant descriptions, learning fascinating tidbits of information. I have always wondered why the blooms of bluebells turn from pink to blue as they mature - now I know. And I learned that Native Americans used the dogwood as an "indicator plant," timing their planting of corn to the blooming of the tree.

I look forward to learning more about the secrets and history of our native plants as I continue to explore this extensively researched book. Botanica North America will not get stored on my bookshelf; rather it will stay at my fingertips, always ready to supply me with information or inspiration.

Native plants in their glory
This book is a departure for Canada's best-known garden writer. The reviews I've read tend to give the impression that it is a gardening book, but it's more of a venture into history, geography, botany and enthobotany, than horticulture. Information that gardeners depend on, such as hardiness zones of plants, isn't there, but that doesn't mean gardeners won't be fascinated by this extensive exploration of North American native plants.

The book offers photos and the stories of more than 420 plants-trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants-that grew in North America before Europeans arrived. The plants were selected because they are or were in some way valuable or important to people, whether native peoples or European settlers. At more than 650 pages, the book is extensive (it would have taken several volumes to encompass all the important plants). Still, there are some surprising omissions, for example, hickory, bitternut and pecan are included in the juglandaceae, but the ubiquitous black walnut isn't.

Organized geographically, the book ranges from the eastern forests to Florida, from the boreal forest to the prairies, the southern deserts to California and the Pacific Northwest. The northern tundra is included, as well as a chapter on the "three sisters", the agricultural plants aboriginal peoples cultivated, corn, squash and beans.

Lush photographs accompany many of the entries, which provide essential information on each plant's attributes and historical uses. Harris includes stories and quotations from early European plant enthusiasts who often courted hardship and danger to learn as much as they could about the new plants they were encountering. Many compelling stories come from these early observers and amateur botanists. Unfortunately, the publisher chose only to index plant names (common and botanical), and not the names of people. For example, I was hoping to find reference to Catharine Parr Traill, the sister of Susanna Moody (of Roughing it in the Bush fame), and the author of Canadian Wild Flowers (1868). As early as the mid-nineteenth century, Parr Traill regretted the almost wholesale destruction of the Canadian wilderness and its plants due to the onslaught of farmers clearing the land for crops and loggers harvesting timbers to ship to eager markets in Europe. Parr Traill is, in fact, quoted several times, but you won't find her name in the index. Notes for each chapter do detail sources, but an alphabetical index would have made these names so much easier to find.

Botanica North America isn't a book you can read from cover to cover quickly-instead it's one to keep on the coffee table or at the bedside table to savor and dip into over many weeks. Harris brings to our attention the enormous variability and richness of the North American landscape. One can't help but come away with a sense of regret over how much was destroyed, both deliberately and by accident (and still is being ruined today as suburban sprawl continues to eat up the landscape). Fortunately, awareness of native plants is on the upswing, and this book certainly marks a welcome contribution to the current revival of interest in these magnificent and under appreciated plants. Bravo, Marjorie Harris! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A century ago, malaria was killing Washingtonians, Londoners, Parisians. Today HIV, along with various cancers, has taken its place among worldwide epidemics. Quinine, extracted from the cinchona tree of the Amazonian rainforest, quelled malaria; alkaloids taken from trees in the West African rainforest may well yield a cure for AIDS. Yet those woods, Mark Plotkin tells us, are fast disappearing, along with the native peoples who know the powers of the plants that dwell there. His account of wandering through the Amazonian jungles focuses on local knowledge about plants, whose uses range from the mundane to the magical. The rainforests of the world, Plotkin notes, are our greatest natural resource, an intercultural pharmacy that can cure woes both known and yet unvisited. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great book! Read this NOW!
Mark J. Plotkin's great work has really opened my horizons up to realize the plight facing world society. Through demonstrating the vast economic importance of ethnobotanical knowledge to the rest of the world, the reader feels the tragedy of the rain forest being depleted. The world's rain forests are the most complex biomasses on earth, and there are myriads of species of plants that have never before been seen, that could yield potentially useful medicines. The recording and finding of these medicines is found through conversational exchange with tribal peoples, who have evolved their botanical knowledge through thousands of years of trial-and-error. Finding these new medicines is important not only to the current medical sphinxes plaguing society (AIDS, cancer, etc.), but also for the inevitable medical problems we will face in the future. An all-around excellent book! It reads like an adventure novel, and the style of prose is transfixing, and enormously captivating.

Why this is an excellent book
Why is this book great? Two words: reads well. Many people, like myself, see scientific books as dull and hard to follow because of a general lack of knowledge regarding the subject of the book. Plotkin, however, does a great job of making this book fun to read, for the people who know nothing about how plants work in producing their healing chemicals, to knowledgeable botanists who could have contributed to this book as well. This book reads like a story, and Plotkin does a great job of weaving tidbits of humor into this journal of everyday life among the Indians of Amazonia. His humorous stories in this book are refreshing interjections to the detailed descriptions of plant life, as well. All in all, I greatly recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered how indigenous people in the rainforest are able to survive in today's world

Great Book on Shamanism and the Jungle
I read this one recently and I say that without a doubt if you are considering buying a book on shamanism buy this one. It was great, and postive and helpful in the sense that by coming to understand the culture of the indigenous rainforest inhabitants you learn to respect the forest, or la selva, and desire to protect it from modern encroachment. Great book in all respects; exciting, informed, exotic... buy this one.
I recently finished another shamanic book recently which was pretty damn good too -- Memetic Magic, by K Packwood, I think. Takes shamanism to a whole new level check this one out too probably.

Book with Impact
I read this book years ago, and still find myself thinking about, referring to it, etc. I can't tell you how much of an impact it has had on my thinking. Should be required reading for all med students.

amazing
This is an absolutely amazing book. Basic story: autobiographical accounts of an enthnobotanist looking for medicinal plants in the Amazon rainforest.

Daniel Quinn talks about 'The Great Forgetting' in the Story of B. But this books really hammers home how great a Forgetting it has been, and how much of a loss it will be when tribal cultures have been totally wiped out.

Whereas our cultures may date back several thousands of years at most, the cultures of these people have been distilled over so much longer a period.

I remember when reading 'Roots' I was stricken and moved by the oral traditions of the tribes (preserving their ancestoral history by word of mouth). I got a similar feeling here as well.. In one part the author talks about the tribe telling of ancestors who 'crossed through great cold, wrapping themselves in animal skins..'. Apparently it is generally accepted that the Indians of South America crossed over from Asia during the last Ice Age. Can you imagine a culture rich enough to preserve stories dating back twenty+ thousand years?

The book's focus is definitely on the author's search for the flora (and sometimes fauna) of the jungle. However, there is a lot more to take away from it.

Highly recommended reading. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive resource serves as a pictorial guide to over 500 different types of cut flowers, foliage, and dried materials for all levels of floral designers. It offers a complete guide to the botanical and common names, pronunciation, family name and related flowers, colors and availability, and the unique properties of each flower.This valuable guide includes information from such sources as the Holland Flower Council, California Cut Flower Commission, and the Society of American Florists.This beautiful full-color flower guide will inspire creativity in all designers who use flowers as a medium.ALSO AVAILABLE - INSTRUCTOR SUPPLEMENT: Image Library (ISBN# 0-7668-1573-0). Call Customer Support to Order. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Reference Book
I just got this book today and I am so happy that I purchased it. It is the perfect reference book that i have been looking for. It has great pictures of the flowers and foliage , pronunciation as well as design applications. Great book, a must have to all beginner florist.

Wonderful resource book
A friend of mine recommended this book to me and what a friend he is! Ms. Diehl Scace has written an excellent guide for everyone in the floral design industry. It is very easy to use, has terrific photographs and is packed with useful information. A book like this has been sorely needed in our industry for many years. Buy one for your design library and buy another one for your friends. ... Read more