Smithsonian Flora: Inside the Secret World of Plants • In Association with the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens

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. Pierre-Joseph Redoute in the 18th-century was described as the "Raphael of flowers". Flora showcases his botanical paintings as well as those of Georg Ehret and others in this gorgeous visual celebration of plants through the ages. Whether you are a keen gardener, naturalist, or botany student, this beautiful book is a treat that will entice, inform, and amaze. 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 From Tiny Mosses And Delicate Ferns To Vibrant Blooms And Stately Palms, Flora Invites You To Explore The Plant Kingdom From The Ground Up, And From Root To Leaf Tip. Dk's Elegant Introduction To Botany Is Packed With Sumptuous Photos And Crystal-clear Illustrations That Explain The Mechanics Of Photosynthesis, Why Leaves Change Color, How Cacti Store Water, And How Seeds Know When To Grow. Filled With Fascinating Stories Of How Plant Roots And Leaves Communicate With Their Neighbors And How Flowers Use Color And Scent To Interact With--and Manipulate--the Creatures Around Them, Flora Is A Fresh And Engaging Introduction To The Mysterious Inner Workings Of The Plant World.--,Explore The Intricate Inner Workings Of The Plant Kingdom--where Seeds Become Shoots, And Flowers Become Fruits--with This Spectacular Introduction To Botany And How Plants Work. Stunning Photography And Engaging Text Combine To Explain The Intimate Secrets Of Both The Familiar And Exotic, From Roses And Lilies To Rainforest Orchids, Mangroves, And Cacti. Discover How Plants In Scorching Deserts, On Frozen Mountain Peaks, And Along Coastal Shores Adapt To The Challenging Conditions In Which They Grow. Learn How Roots And Leaves Provide Food And Energy, And How Plants Deploy Extraordinary Strategies To Protect Their Precious Resources From Animals And Insects--from Bristly Stems, Thorny Branches, And Sticky Resin To Chemical Messages Designed To Attract Help From Other Creatures. Chapters On Roots, Stems And Branches, Leaves, Flowers, And Seeds And Fruits Ensure That Every Part Of The Plant Is Thoroughly Explored. Meet Plants With Leaves That Eat Meat, Flowers That Use Color And Scent To Communicate With Their Pollinators, And Trees That Withstand Hurricanes, As Well As Seeds And Fruits Designed To Travel Phenomenal Distances To Fertile Ground. To Complete The Picture, There Is A Detailed Catalog Of More Than 70 Significant Plant Families--from Onions And Orchids To Tree Ferns, Horsetails, And Club Mosses--together With A Full List Of All The Families In The Plant Kingdom.--dust Jacket. Discover the extraordinary diversity of the plant world--and how plants work--with this photographic celebration of the trees, flowers, and foliage plants that share our planet