Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Plant Form has been out of print for a long time, so I was excited to see it released as a new edition (2008). I have been wanting to get a copy of this book for a while, and was thoroughly impressed when I finally got my hands on the new edition.
Why have I been wanting to get a copy of this book for so long?
First; this book is unique in its approach describing flowering plant morphology (i.e., comparative anatomy) according to the "big picture." This book does not include the typical cellular structures and details typical of so many college textbooks on morphology. Instead, one is immersed in the vegetative characters one finds when actually walking up to a plant. This book focuses from the perspective of a hand lens all the way up to tree architecture. Plant Form is as required for to those interested in plant systematics as for those in plant ecology.
Second; the plants used for examples in this book are exceptional. This book is not a dry catergorization of plant parts; stems, leaves, ... No, this book includes examples of curiosities and odd-balls from all across the botanical world, which really serves to elucidate the subtleties of plant morphology. Many of these fascinating topics I have found only in specialized courses on tropical plant morphology, all of which lacked textbooks.
Third; Plant Form, while potentially useful for a specialized course in botany, is interesting to everyone. Literally, everyone. No formal or technical knowledge is necessary; no small feat as the science of botany is famous for its vast lexicon based on Latin and Greek. What really makes this book so interesting is its great drawings and photographs which immediately draws one into the diverse world of plants. Plant Form is one of the best coffee-table books around.
Case in point, it doesn't matter whether you are a professional botanist, amateur naturalist, avid gardener, or an artist who likes painting plants. You will love this book.
But if you are a professional or budding botanist, you need to get a copy.
As for problems with Plant Form, the only problem I have noticed is the omission of family names for the species mentioned in the text (family names are in the index). But this is really a trifling problem, barely worth mentioning. Great Book.
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The diverse external shapes and structures that make up flowering plants can be bewildering and even daunting, as can the terminology used to describe them. An understanding of plant form-plant morphology-is essential to appreciating the wonders of the plant world and to the study of botany and horticulture at every level. In this ingeniously designed volume, the complex subject becomes both accessible and manageable.The first part of the book describes and clearly illustrates the major plant structures that can be seen with the naked eye or a hand lens: leaf, root, stem, reproductive organs, and seedlings; special sections focus on vegetative propagation, and the morphology of grasses, orchids, and cacti. However, plants are dynamic organisms, constantly growing, changing, and becoming more elaborate, and understanding the development of a plant or plant part is as important as describing its final form. Part II focuses on how plants grow: bud development, the growth of reproductive organs, leaf arrangement, branching patterns, and the accumulation and loss of structures. This classic book, now revised and expanded to include the latest information on plant morphology, more than 1000 exquisite line drawings including 119 that are new to this edition, and nearly twice as many photographs as the previous edition, is remarkable for its user-friendly organization, high-quality illustrations, and extensive cross-referencing. Aimed at students of botany and horticulture, enthusiastic gardeners and amateur naturalists, it functions as an illustrated dictionary, a basic course in plant morphology, and an intriguing and enlightening book to dip into.
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