Wildflowers & Grasses of Virginia's Coastal Plain
"Wildflowers and Grasses of Virginia's Coastal Plain is much more than a field guide to the region. The scientific accuracy of the volume is augmented by the useful and idiosyncratic text which is woven throughout. This style of writing allows the reader to painlessly obtain a well-rounded education in taxonomy and species relationships, the derivation of scientific names, uses of plants by humans, quirks of plant habitats and distributions, and innumerable fascinating and useful facts that seldom appear in any plant guide. With the inclusion of grass-like species, the book also ventures into territory often neglected by popular botanical texts. In short, the reader will become well-informed and enjoy the process!"-- John TownsendBotanist & co-author of Flora of Virginia --The Botanical Research Institute of TexasHelen Hamilton and Gus Hall have produced an outstanding guide that has some thoughtful features that will make it popular. The excellent and instructive photographs frequently portray the plants at both the big picture and the closeup scales; this will greatly help users in recognizing the species. Accounts of uses for the plants and their origins give much human interest to the descriptions. Wildflowers and Grasses of Virginia s Coastal Plain is a great introduction to the flora of this fascinating region by two field botanists who know it so well.--Chris LeaConsulting Botanist and former Vegetation Ecologist, U.S. National Park Service --The Botanical Research Institute of TexasThe wildflowers and grasses of Virginia s Coastal Plain, native or naturalized, chose excellent human friends to deliver their story to anyone desiring to know plants they see in the region. VNPS members Helen Hamilton and Gustavus Hall have created a book with helpful identification clues and interesting facts specific to the species in focus, secrets of pollination, uses and more. A handy color tab on each page to match with a flower color in front of you is an appreciated shortcut to information and identification. The grass section is especially valuable to those of us who do not know our grasses identification. Their book is a must-have for folks new to the coastal plain and for those of us who can always learn more about the wildflowers and grasses that we see and appreciate.-- Nicky StauntonVNPS Vice President, three-term President, Flora of Virginia Project Board, and Botanical Illustrator --The Botanical Research Institute of Texas