Product Description
This book by the Royal Horticultural Society's Director of Horticulture is the first to cover the 265 orchids native to Kenya. It is the product not only of the author's peerless knowledge of orchids but of her 10 years' residence in Kenya. ... Read more

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This authoritative guide showcases the unmatched beauty and diversity of the native orchids of the southern Appalachian mountains. Based on Stanley Bentley's many years of nature study, it covers the 52 species--including one discovered by Bentley and named after him--found in a region encompassing western Virginia and North Carolina and eastern West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The entry for each orchid provides the plant's scientific and common names, a description of the flower (including color, shape, and size), and information on the time of flowering, range, and typical habitat, all in the context of the southern mountains. A range map accompanies each description, and Bentley's own superb photographs are an additional aid to identification.

Using straightforward language yet incorporating the most up-to-date scientific information and nomenclature, the book will be welcomed by amateur naturalists or professional botanists looking for species in the field and by those who simply enjoy photographs of beautiful wildflowers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Nice Guide
Very nice book with great photos and information. The author knows his stuff and has been at it for many years.

As Beautiful As the Orchids
This turns out to be an outstanding book and I'm very happy to have it. The text is pleasant to read, written in a friendly and personal way. The pictures are crisp and beautiful, and laid out nicely alongside the text for easy access while reading the description. One outstanding feature is the detailed habitat information based on the author's years of field experience in observing the habitats of each of these orchids. Another stand-out is that the author has done the photography himself, resulting in pictures that support and complement the text very well. I checked several books on orchids and wildflowers while trying to identify an orchid in my forest (which turns out to be a lily-leaved twayblade), and I found this book to be the best. In summary, I'm impressed with this book. I hope it will set a new standard for other books on regional wildflowers. ... Read more

Product Description
The male thynnine wasp's extreme sexual enthusiasm is crucial to reproduction of hammer orchids in the wild. Hammer orchids have co-evolved to produce odors identical to those manufactured by female thynnine wasps. The male wasp's superb sensitivity to the scent of his female mate is the basis for the hammer orchid's deceit--in effect, orchids exploit the male insect's highly adaptive sense of smell for their own propagation. While pollinating orchids is a waste of time, and thus a maladaptive activity for a wasp, his mistake comes about because he must react quickly whenever he senses a possible mate nearby. Alcock suggests that, "for insects, he who hesitates is lost, although perhaps it would be better to say that he who hesitates often loses a chance to pass on his genes." This book abounds with clever explanations for how these exceptionally complex flowers came to be shaped as they are. The reader can explore many aspects of orchid biology and history ranging from how some species avoid inbreeding, to the origins of orchids from an ancestor that belonged to the asparagus family. Examining each component of an orchid's flower, Alcock explains how the various parts work together to produce the plant's minute offspring. Each element of an orchid, as quirky as it may seem, is biologically significant, bearing the imprint of natural selection. Readers can share in the delight that Darwin and all other orchid enthusiasts have felt in making sense of even the smallest of details of these most wonderful plants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

an enthousiasm for orchids, sex and deceptoin in plant evolution, by John Alcock
This is a really fascinating book on both orchids and evolution. The author turns primarily to Southwest Australian orchids and gives a brilliant insight in evolutionary matters. Funny to realise that Darwin himself did not like Southwest Australia when he had a stop over there with his Beagle voyage. He detested Albany, I love it. Southwest Australia has been recognised as one of the top biodiversity hotspots worldwide. Read and enjoy the book and share the author's enthousiasm and expert knowledge.
As I have been botanizing in many places where the author has been, I enjoyed the descriptions of his discoveries during his fieldtrips. It also revived my holidays. I share his thrills and was also intrigued by the Hammer Orchid and its pollination. The books gives excellent explanations. I have sent a photo of the Hammer Orchid to Alcock and had it identified by him.

awesome book
Its a good book for the people who are working in the field of evolutionary biology, particulary in the field of orchid biology.
Mani ... Read more

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Product Description
This profusely illustrated field guide covers the 31 species of orchids that grow wild in California. The first book on California's native orchids, it will be a valuable resource for professionals and hobbyists alike. The Wild Orchids of California is an impressive extension of Ronald A. Coleman's wide fieldwork, literature review, and herbarium research. Written in a clear narrative style, Coleman's species accounts describe the plants and flowers, their habitats, distribution, pollinators, and blooming season. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Wild Orchids of California
Excellent photos and descriptions of our lovely native terrestrial orchids, many of which grow into Oregon and Washington. I purchased this book a few years ago from Hamilton Books at a substantial discount of around $6. ... Read more

Product Description
The third edition of this definitive handbook of orchid cultivationincludes major revisions in both text and illustrations. It adds 24pages of color photographs--bringing the total number of speciesillustrated to 864--and 62 line drawings. The sections on taxonomy havebeen substantially expanded to include updated treatments of orchidbiology, diversity, and classification, and descriptions of 140 generaand more than twice that number of species have been added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Quite a tome
A great book for the serious orchidist.As another review said, photographs are not always of the best quality, but are comprehensive in their coverage of some of of the more unusual species. A plethora of taxonomic information for those so inclined, and guidance on the growing environment for the species. If you are a looking for a glossier book on orchid species, with less technical information, and more colorful pictures, then I suggest Alec Pridgeon's also excellent book instead of(or in addition to) this one.

Good reference and very useful for identifying the plants
My favorite book beside The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids by Alec Pridgeon,I recommend it highly for anyone who loves orchid species.

If you grow orchid species, you must own this book.
As complete a reference as you can own in one cover, this book has it all. Cultural medium requirements, temperature, light - everything you need to know for the most species coverage. Most of the color plates are highquality, some not so good. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is an excellent blend of information for serious orchid growers as well as orchid enthusiasts who may have plants of Philippine origin in their collections. It documents both the popular, well-known species and those of botanical interest in a format designed to aid in identifying species found in collections. Descriptions are accompanied by more than 300 color photos.Amazon.com Review
Jim Cootes knows orchids so well that two species have been named after him. The author notes in his stunning Orchids of the Philippinesreveal that he has even found a pure white flower, rare as a snowleopard: "An albino form of Dendrobium fairchildiae." This volumeconsists of an exhaustive and hypnotic listing of over 300 species oforchids--plants native to the archipelago, which have been discovered andclassified by Cootes and others over decades of research.

Each entry includes a vivid color photograph and a series of subcategories,including growth habits, petals, habitat, and distribution. The roots ofbotanical names are traced for descriptive meanings. Occasional notesallow the author's voice into the proceedings, and the prose is ofteninadvertently poetic, as in this description of the habitat of theBulbophyllum antenniferum: "It normally grows as an epiphyte, usually onthe trunks of trees, but has been observed by the author growing onrocks in dappled light." Orchid enthusiasts beware: most of theplants shown here can only be grown in greenhouses. --Emily White ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the more i know, the more i appreciate and admire
"The Orchids of the Philippines" is one of a few books on indigenous Philippine orchids currently available.The more comprehensive ones are hard-to-find and very expensive.This book is priced just right.It contains morphological, cultural and geographical info on famous Philippine orchids and their lesser known relatives.

I am not a botanist so I cannot claim that this book covers the latest-and-greatest Philippine orchid genera and/or species.I am, however, a great lover of our own native orchids and I know about the more common and popular ones.This book, written by a non-Filipino, about Philippine orchids, continues to educate me, a Filipino.The more I know about our own native orchids, the more I appreciate and admire their beauty, diversity, and rarity!

Curiously, the word "orchid" has no direct Tagalog translation. ... Read more

Product Description
Rumphius (1627-1702), founder of Indonesian botanical exploration and one of the greatest naturalists of the seventeenth century, was the first to describe tropical orchids in a Western language. Within the pages of his monumental seven-volume Ambonese Herbal, written in Dutch, he included descriptions of thirty-six species of orchids found on the island of Ambon in eastern Indonesia, plus twelve uncertified ones. His detailed descriptions reflect both the accuracy of a scientist and the sensibility of a poet. This lovely book is the first to gather and translate into English all the sections of Rumphius’ The Ambonese Herbal devoted to orchids.

For each entry, Rumphius describes the plant, names it according to a pre-Linnaean system of nomenclature, gives its locality, and details its medicinal and non-medicinal uses. More than twenty beautiful line drawings accompany the entries. The volume includes ample notes to illuminate the text and an informative introduction that tells the life of Rumphius—a remarkable collector/naturalist who overcame fire, shipwreck, and blindness to produce his masterwork. ... Read more

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From the East Texas swamps and forests to the Edwards Plateau canyons and the Trans-Pecos mountains, Texas hosts a surprising number of native orchids. Their exquisite beauty endears them to everyone from wildflower lovers to professional botanists and conservationists. This beautifully illustrated book presents all 54 wild orchids of Texas. The species descriptions that accompany Joe Liggio's lovely color photos discuss the plant's flowers, blooming season, pollinators, typical habitats, and range (also shown by map), including its distribution within and beyond Texas. The species are grouped by genus and also listed by color, county, and habitat for easy reference. In addition to the species accounts, the authors offer a general natural history of Texas orchids that discusses such topics as pollination and reproduction, special growing requirements, and threats to orchids from loss of habitats and careless collecting. They also describe the many orchid habitats in Texas and the species that grow in each. This wide variety of information, which has never before been collected in one volume for a general readership, makes this book the essential guide to Texas' wild orchids. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Wild Orchids of Texas
This is a wonderful book - a beautiful reference for the wild orchids in Texas.Its arrangement makes identifying and searching for orchids as easy as possible.I particularly like the descriptions of habitats and the attention to locations.It has small maps with county designations and there is an index in the back to allow searching by county.The photographs are beautiful and are taken in their natural settings and that makes it easier to look for these orchids.Anyone with an interest in wild orchids in Texas should have this book.I highly recommend it!

You don't have to be a Biologist to use and love this book!
These authors really know their stuff!Lots of information to help your chances of actually observing these native beauties in the wild.Conservation is a repeated theme throughout.Texans will be blown away by the incredible photos!I love mine.

Wild Orchids of Texas by Joe Liggio & Ann Orto Liggio
This book is clearly a labor of love on the part of the authors, and is one that should be very useful to nature lovers in general, and both amateur and professional orchidologists.The photography is excellent,giving a feel for both the habitat and individual plants and flowers. There is only one very rare species that is not pictured.The index iswell done and quite useable.The authors have done a superb job ofpromoting the cause of orchid conservation -- including such things as"How to Save Our Native Orchids: What You Can Do" on page 5. They have a good general discussion of orchid life cycles, their habitats,mycorhizal associations and pollenators.For those not familiar with Texasthe inclusion of a vegetation map and a short description of each majorvegetation type is very useful.Orchids are listed by: 1) flower colour,2) by vegetation/habitat types, and finally species distributions by countyare given.One orchid Habenaria quinqueseta does not have a distributionmap, but since it was collected over 150 years ago, we shouldn't be tooconcerned.The only real lack that I have found is that there is no key tothe genera and species given.This is an excellent book that every seriousorchid species enthusiast should have in their book collection -- if onlyfor the wonderful photography.

Brings the wild orchids of Texas to you
The authors, a husband-wife team, combine their specialties to create an exciting experience for the reader. Joe is a biologist and photographer, and Ann is a writer. They have crafted a beautifully executed book. The writing is excellent; the photography is exquisite; the organization is wonderful; and the information is easily digestible for the lay person. The authors have spent years chasing down these delightful and beautiful orchids and now bring their beauty to you. The University of Texas Press has created a book of high quality and beauty with great color photographs. Fifty-four types of orchids are discussed and described in their natural habitats. Each of the regional sections are described and orchids living in each listed. Orchids are listed by flower color, genus and species, and scientific names. One appendix lists species distribution by county. The list of references and index add great value to the book. ... Read more

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This, the seventh volume in a respected series of books,continues a policy of presenting significant reviews by outstandingauthorities in the field. The chapters in this volume include reviewsof molecular biology of orchids, mycorrhiza, embryology, ethnobotanyand research in Japan. Like previous volumes in this series, thepresent one will serve the need of orchid scientists and growers andbotanists in general. ... Read more

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The diversity and specialization in orchid floral morphology have fascinated botanists and collectors for centuries. In the past 10 years, the orchid industry has been growing substantially worldwide. This interesting book focuses on the recent advances in orchid biotechnology research since the last 10 years in Taiwan. To advance the orchid industry, enhancement of basic research as well as advanced biotechnology will provide a good platform to improve the flower quality and breeding of new varieties. Important topics covered include the new knowledge of basic genome, through floral morphogenesis, floral ontology, embryogenesis, micropropagation, to functional genomics such as EST, virus-induced gene silencing, and genetic transformation. ... Read more

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This is a horticultural work guiding the amateur orchid grower in the selection, culture and environments of these orchids, which have only been available in the last two years. To that end the book includes sections on such native habitat characteristics as climate, soils and vegetation. It also describes every presently observed species in the seven genera of the Angraecoid group, plus those species of other orchid genera native to Madagascar. ... Read more

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Based on the text of the family Orchidaceae published in The European Garden Flora II, this book provides botanists and orchid growers with a means for the identification of orchid species in general cultivation. The main part of the text (updated and with an improved layout) consists of descriptions of the 900 species included; these descriptions are accompanied by references to published illustrations and other useful information, and are made accessible by means of keys to the genera and the species.Numerous line drawings of diagnostic features help to make the keys and descriptions easy to understand and use. A brief introduction (covering the structural features of orchids important in identification, some information on cultivation and a list of general references) and a comprehensive index complete the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Distributed by Elsevier Science on behalf of Science Press.

Available internationally for the first time, thisbook is a definitive illustrated work on Chinese wild orchids. It introduces a total of 117 genera, 403 species and 2 varieties of Chinese wild orchids with detailed description of origin (domestic and foreign), habitat, altitude, flowering period, and 791 stunningly beautiful photographs shot in the field.
The authors are both highly-regarded in the research of Chinese native orchids and provide abundant firsthand information. This book is a necessary reference to Chinese orchids which will be welcomed by researchers in botany and practitioners in the horticultural industry worldwide.

* The largest illustrated collection of rare Chinese native orchids
* Stunning color photographs show specimens in detail in their native habitats
* Book structure makes the wealth of information easily accessible ... Read more