The Book of Orchids: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from Around the World - Couverture rigide

Chase, Mark; Christenhusz, Maarten; Mirenda, Tom

 
9780226224527: The Book of Orchids: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from Around the World

Synopsis

One in every seven flowering plants on earth is an orchid. Yet orchids retain an air of exotic mystery--and they remain remarkably misunderstood and underappreciated. The orchid family contains an astonishing array of colors, forms, and smells that captivate growers from all walks of life across the globe. Though undeniably elegant, the popular moth orchid--a grocery store standard--is a bland stand-in when compared with its thousands of more complex and fascinating brethren, such as the Demon Queller, which grows in dark forests where its lovely blooms are believed to chase evil forces away. There is the Fetid Sun-God, an orchid that lures female flies to lay their eggs on its flowers by emitting a scent of rancid cheese. Or the rare, delicate Lizard Orchid, which mimics the appearance of lizards but smells distinctly of goat.

The Book of Orchids revels in the diversity and oddity of these beguiling plants. Six hundred of the world's most intriguing orchids are displayed, along with life-size photographs that capture botanical detail, as well as information about distribution, peak flowering period, and each species' unique attributes, both natural and cultural. With over 28,000 known species--and more being discovered each year--the orchid family is arguably the largest and most geographically widespread of the flowering plant families. Including the most up-to-date science and accessibly written by botanists Mark Chase, Maarten Christenhusz, and Tom Mirenda, each entry in The Book of Orchids will entice researchers and orchid enthusiasts alike.

With stunning full-color images, The Book of Orchids is sure to become the go-to reference for these complex, alluring, and extraordinarily adaptable plants.

Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

À propos de l'auteur

Mark W. Chase, former director of the Jodrell Laboratory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is now a senior researcher there, focusing on genetics of orchids and tobacco. He is one of the founding researchers of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group and author of Orchids: The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Oncidium and one of the four editors for the six-volume series Genera Orchidacearum.

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Autres éditions populaires du même titre

9781782404033: The Book of Orchids: A life-size guide to six hundred species from around the world

Edition présentée

ISBN 10 :  1782404031 ISBN 13 :  9781782404033
Editeur : Ivy Press, 2017
Couverture rigide