Ferns of Florida
by Gil Nelson
Pineapple Press, 2000
ISBN 1561641979
$19.95 Paperback
$27.95 Hardcover
Gil Nelson has done it again with his newest guide. A non-technical book on the ferns of Florida was long overdue. It is a much appreciated complement to his other two books on the flora of Florida, The Trees of Florida and The Shrubs and Woody Vines of Florida.
Like his previous books, he treats the 160 plus species of ferns thoroughly with easy to understand descriptions, distributions, and habitats. One of the selling features of all of Nelson’s books is his inclusion of how a species differs from other similar species. Another feature not included in many books is a brief description of interesting plant lore.
Excellent photographs and illustrations greatly aid in the identification of the ferns. His alphabetical arrangement of the families and genera is much appreciated by those of us who don’t know the phylogenetic arrangement of the plant kingdom. A key to the ferns families is included in the introduction of the book. Additional keys to various genera are also included. The appendices include a checklist of Florida fern species and an excellent bibliography.
Three minor suggestions for improvement would be:
- the inclusion of more illustrations, especially of the sori characteristic of each fern species;
- easier readability of the illustration and photograph numbers within the text description;
- and the inclusion of a ruler on each page for easy measurement of key characteristics. This was included in his earlier books, but was inadvertently omitted in the Ferns volume. Let us hope future editions will return the ruler to its rightful place!
All in all, if you are interested in learning the ferns of Florida, Nelson’s Ferns of Florida is an essential addition to your library.
Gil Nelson’s other books:
- The Trees of Florida, Pineapple Press, 1994
- The Shrubs and Woody Vines of Florida, Pineapple Press, 1996
Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge
by B. Eugene Wofford
University of Georgia Press, 1989
ISBN 9780820324555
$26.95 Paperback
Another identification manual that is a must while botanizing in the Blue Ridge province is the Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge. Its wide range of habitats within the region extends from northern Georgia to southern Pennsylvania. Over 2000 species are included, representing all major plant groups including ferns, trees, monocots, and dicots. All the families, genera, and species are arranged alphabetically. (Yes!) Although lacking illustrations, the keys are simple to follow. The list of references is quite useful for those who wish to delve further into species identification. Hopefully, a new edition will update the species coverage and include updated taxonomic revisions.
Wildflowers of Georgia
by Hugh Nourse and Carol Nourse
University of Georgia Press, 2000
ISBN 0820321796
$29.95 Hardcover
Having made my first trek to the mountains of Georgia in the springtime of 2000, I understood why the authors enjoyed the eight years that they photographed Georgia’s splendid wildflowers.
They divide the coverage of this large-format volume into four regions of the state from the coastal plain to the Blue Ridge mountains. Within each region, physiographic characteristics and floral diversity are emphasized. Photographs of 85 plants and habitats are intertwined with these discussions. The authors discuss parks, trails, and areas where one can enjoy numerous wildflower species during their blooming season. Read more
Wildflowers of the Eastern United States
by Wilbur H. Duncan and Marion B. Duncan
University of Georgia Press, 1999
ISBN 0820321079
$29.95 Hardcover
Many years ago, I bought my first plant photo identification book, Wildflowers of the Southeastern United States by Wilbur Duncan and Duncan Foote. Now tattered and worn, I have carried it far and wide through the eastern United States and have used it extensively along with the numerous other guides that I have acquired over the years. Unfortunately, it was out of print several years later. Nothing on the market filled the void until the publication of the Wildflowers of the Eastern United States. I am glad to see that it has been expanded to include all the states east of the Mississippi except for parts of south Florida.
Find Articles by Subject
About the PhotoNaturalist
Galleries
Image of the Week
 | ||