An orchard invisible
Subtitle: a natural history of seeds
By: Jonathan Silvertown ; with illustrations by Amy Whitesides.
Contributors: Whitesides, Amy.
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Chicago; London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 216
ISBN-13: 9780226757735
Subjects: Seeds -- Popular works; Botany -- Popular works
Genres: Popular works.
Description: "The story of seeds, in a nutshell, is a tale of evolution. From the tiny sesame that we sprinkle on our bagels to the forty-five-pound double coconut borne by the coco de mer tree, seeds are a perpetual reminder of the complexity and diversity of life on earth. How and why do some lie dormant for years on end? How did seeds evolve? The wide variety of uses that humans have developed for seeds of all sorts also receives a fascinating look, studded with examples, including foods, oils, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals."--Global Books in Print.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: An orchard invisible: seeds; title: First forms minute: evolution; title: Even beans do it: sex; title: Before the seed: pollination; title: According to their own kinds: inheritance; title: O rose, thou art sick!: enemies; title: The biggest coconut I ever see: size; title: Ten thousand acorns: number; title: Luscious clusters of the vine: fruit; title: Winged seeds: dispersal; title: Circumstance unknown: fate; title: Fierce energy: germination; title: Sorrow's mysteries: poisons; title: Ah, sun-flower!: oil; title: John Barleycorn: beer; title: Realm of illusion: coffee; title: Nourishment and inspiration: gastronomy.