Wildflowers made easy

by Elizabeth Manning

WILDFLOWERS MADE EASY


If you've ever struggled to differentiate between pinnate and palmate vennation or corymb and cyme inflorescence, you'll be happy to hear there's a new wildflower guide for botanical novices. Written by G.K. Guennel, a spore and pollen expert, the two-volume Guide to Colorado Wildflowers is remarkably easy to use and includes some 600 species. But it helps if the plant is in bloom; the book is organized by the color of the flower first, then alphabetically by family and common name. There is also a catch-all "green" section that includes trees, grasses, shrubs and herbs. Each species is illustrated with both a photograph and a watercolor drawing for easy identification. Plains and foothills plants are identified in volume I; volume II covers the mountain regions.


Westcliffe Publishers, P.O. Box 1261, Englewood, CO 80150-1261 (303/935-0900). Cloth: $24.95 per volume. Volume I: 336 pages, 300 color photographs and watercolor drawings. Volume II: 352 pages, 300 color photographs and watercolor drawings.


* Elizabeth Manning


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