Flora: Inside the Secret World of Plants

Description

Let the experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens guide you around the beautiful and mysterious world that is the plant kingdom. From regulating the air we breathe to providing food, clothes, fuels, and medicines – plants are fundamental to our lives. Discover an extraordinary diversity of species, which includes a grass that grows a meter a day, roots that breathe air, and "queen of the night" cactuses whose rare blooms vanish before dawn. In a combination of art and science, Flora celebrates plants from majestic trees to microscopic algae, explaining how they germinate, grow, and reproduce. It presents species that have evolved to accommodate pollinating insects such as the foxglove, and plants that have adapted to flourish in even the most hostile of habitats. contents the plant kingdom what is a plant? types of plants classifying plants roots fibrous roots taproots plant supports absorbing nutrients storage systems plants in art: impressions of nature nitrogen fixing the fly agaric contractile roots aerial roots the strangler fig living on air parasitic plants mistletoe roots in water water lilies breathing roots mangroves stems and branches types of stems inside stems plants in art: natural renaissance tree trunks bark types the quaking aspen branch arrangement winter buds insulated buds cauliflorous plants stem defenses the kapok tree stems and resin the dragon tree storing food beneficial relationships fibrous trunks plants in art: west meets east twining stems climbing techniques storage stems the saguaro cactus leafless stems new plants from stems moso bamboo leaves leaf types leaf structure compound leaves plants in art: designed by nature developing leaves unfurling ferns leaf arrangement plants in art: botanic reinvention leaves and the water cycle leaves and light leaf size leaf shapes drip tips leaf margins hairy foliage plants in art: ancient herbals succulent foliage waxy leaves the quiver tree silver leaves variegated leaves the japanese maple fall colors stinging leaves the sweet thorn leaf defenses leaves in extremes the bismarck palm floating leaves plants with pools leaves that eat sundews leaves that reproduce protective bracts bract types leaves and spines flowers parts of a flower ancient flowers flower shapes flower development flowers and seasons plants in art: chinese painting flower fertilization pollen grains encouraging diversity managing pollen plants in art: japanese woodblock prints unisexual plants incompatible flowers the titan arum flowers that change sex inflorescences inflorescence types rays and disks the sunflower wind-pollinated flowers grass flowers flowers and nectar storing nectar designed for visitors precision pollination buzz pollination plants in art: radical visions winter blooms flowers for birds flowers for animals flying visitors the queen of the night color attraction nectar guides the hollyhock color signals restricted entry fragrant traps the corpse flower special relationships natural mimics designed to deceive self-pollinating flowers plants in art: blooms for royalty closing at night bud defenses armored flowers colorful bracts plants in art: american enthusiasts cone reproduction seeds and fruits seed structure naked seeds inside seed cones enclosed seeds types of fruits plants in art: ancient gardens flower to fruit fruit anatomy the banana seed distribution dispersed by diet colorful seeds plants in art: art and science animal couriers seeds with wings the dandelion seeds with parachutes silky seeds common milkweed pods and capsules exploding seedpods fennel flower seeds and fire water dispersal plants in art: painting the world natural clones fern spores spore to fern haircap mosses plant families catalog of plant families families of the plant kingdom glossary index list of botanical art acknowledgments