Field Guide to Wild Flowers of South Africa (Field Guides) - Softcover

Manning, Dr. John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1775846768 ISBN 13: 9781775846765

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa, 2019

Synopsis

South Africa’s varied landscape is home to some 19,000 shrubs and herbs, a large number of which bear flowers of intricate and often stunning beauty. This field guide covers more than 1,100 species, focusing on the most common, conspicuous and ‘showy’ plants of the region. It offers easy-to-use keys for identifying plant families, species descriptions with vivid photographs, distribution maps and indication of flowering season. It will enable flower enthusiasts to accurately identify flowering plants encountered across South Africa.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction 8
South African wild flowers 8
Floral regions 10
Vegetation types 11
The names of plants 18
How to use this book 20
Identifying plants 20
Where to begin 20
Finding the right group 23
Pictorial guide to wild-flower families 24
Descriptions of wild-flower families 30
The quick family finder 40
How to use the family finder 40
Species descriptions 46
Group one 46
Group two 50
Group three 52
Group four 66
Group five 104
Group six 166
Group seven 234
Group eight 270
Group nine 304
Group ten 416
Glossary of terms 470
Further reading 472
Index 473
Illustrated glossary

About this title

About the Author

JOHN MANNING, a botanist at the SA National Biodiversity Institute in Cape Town, has written many scientific papers and popular articles, as well as a range of southern African wild-flower guides, including the best-selling Field Guide to Fynbos. He is also widely recognized as a talented botanical illustrator and wild-flower photographer. John has received a number of awards, including the Botanical Society of South Africa Marloth Medal (2005) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal Convocation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Science, Industry and Technology (2006).

Review

"This is the perfect guide for identifying wild flowers, over 1,000 pictured in gorgeous photos. The guide is also perfect for botanists and for hikers and gardeners. The plants are divided into 10 categories, according to similar characteristics, which are explained in the first few pages of the book. Then each flower pictured is verbally described in detail and a chart shows the peak blooming months and a little map shows where in South Africa each is most prolific. The book is a very valuable guide for anyone who loves flowers, and many of the species of other continents can be identified with this book also, since many have been sent to other countries and domesticated to their new homes. EXCELLENT!" (Bonnie Neely Real Travel Adventures)

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1775846768
• ISBN 13: 9781775846765
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 488