Grasses (Botanical)

Most people have memories of playing on well-manicured lawns or running across the flat green surface of a local park, but we often don’t think of grasses as something we consume. Indeed, grasses include four species—wheat, rice, maize, and sugar—that provide sixty percent of human calorie intake, and we become more and more dependent on these as the world’s population increases. In this book, Stephen Harris explains the history of our relationship with these vital plants from the end of the last Ice Age to the present day.Combining biology, sociology, and cultural history, __Grasses__ explores how these staple crops bear the mark of human influence more visibly than any other plant and how we, in turn, are motivated to protect green space such as public parks. Harris describes this symbiotic connection against the background of climate change, contending that humans must find a way to balance their need for grass as food, as living space, and potentially even as fuel. Providing an impressive exploration of the profound impact these plants have on our survival and our pleasure, this well-illustrated book is a must have for gardeners, foodies, and environmentalists. Most people have memories of playing on well-manicured lawns or running across the flat green surface of a local park, but we often don’t think of grasses as something we consume. Indeed, grasses include four species—wheat, rice, maize, and sugar—that provide sixty percent of human calorie intake, and we become more and more dependent on these as the world’s population increases. In this book, Stephen Harris explains the history of our relationship with these vital plants from the end of the last Ice Age to the present day. Combining biology, sociology, and cultural history, Grasses explores how these staple crops bear the mark of human influence more visibly than any other plant and how we, in turn, are motivated to protect green space such as public parks. Harris describes this symbiotic connection against the background of climate change, contending that humans must find a way to balance their need for grass as food, as living space, and potentially even as fuel. Providing an impressive exploration of the profound impact these plants have on our survival and our pleasure, this well-illustrated book is a must have for gardeners, foodies, and environmentalists. Cover......Page 1 Grasses......Page 5 Imprint Page......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 One: Dominating the Planet......Page 9 Two: Roaming the World......Page 29 Three: Disguising Grasses......Page 51 Four: Civilizing Humans......Page 59 Five: Confusing Botanists......Page 74 Six: Feeding Humans......Page 89 Seven: Sweetening Life......Page 105 Eight: Protecting the Crop......Page 123 Nine: Foraging the Fields......Page 138 Ten: Making a Future......Page 151 Eleven: Playing the Field......Page 163 Twelve: Tramping the World......Page 176 Appendix: Scientific Names......Page 191 References......Page 195 Further Reading......Page 211 Associations and Websites......Page 213 Acknowledgements......Page 215 Photo Acknowledgements......Page 217 Index......Page 219 Grasses Explains The History Of Our Relationship With These Humble Yet Vital Plants From The End Of The Last Ice Age To The Present Day, Exploring How These Staple Crops Bear The Mark Of Human Influence More Visibly Than Any Other Plant And How We, In Turn, Are Motivated To Protect Green Space Such As Public Parks. This Symbolic Connection Must Be Understood Against The Background Of Climate Change, Since Humans Will Need To Find A Way To Balance Their Need For Grass As Food, As Living Space And Potentially Even As Fuel. Mixing Biology, Sociology And Cultural History, And Featuring Numerous Botanical Images As Well As Many Fine Examples From Art And Culture, Grasses Is A Must-have For Gardeners, Food Lovers And Environmentalists Alike.