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Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids and Rock Splitters: The Remarkable Survival Strategies of Plants
by
A fascinating exploration of the world’s most unusual plants
Whether it’s an arctic heather that can create subtropical conditions within its leaves or a dwarf mistletoe that can shoot its seeds up to 50 feet away, plants demonstrate remarkable strategies in coping with and surviving their environment. They are often exposed to bitter cold, relentless winds, intense hea ...more
Whether it’s an arctic heather that can create subtropical conditions within its leaves or a dwarf mistletoe that can shoot its seeds up to 50 feet away, plants demonstrate remarkable strategies in coping with and surviving their environment. They are often exposed to bitter cold, relentless winds, intense hea ...more
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At first this was very interesting and presented a lot of cool, unusual plants and survival strategies. But after a while, it started feeling just as if it's giving you a list of plants without a clear reason why, aside from them being, say, water plants. What's special about these water plants? How are they different? I couldn't answer that question.
But I can definitely say that some parts of this book were very informative and interesting. I googled many things, especially videos. I never knew ...more
But I can definitely say that some parts of this book were very informative and interesting. I googled many things, especially videos. I never knew ...more
I won Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids & Rock Splitters: The Remarkable Survival Strategies of Plants by Jesse Vernon Trail in a GoodReads giveaway. I received a thick, smallish paperback of engaging design and excellent production quality with 285 pages of pictures and text page treatments.
As mankind learns more about technology and the world around us, we learn more about plants that have unique abilities to protect themselves, reproduce, and yes, even communicate. Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids a ...more
As mankind learns more about technology and the world around us, we learn more about plants that have unique abilities to protect themselves, reproduce, and yes, even communicate. Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids a ...more
This book was provided to my by the GoodReads First Reads program.
I like that this book emphasizes the science of the strange and wonderful strategies employed by various plants. The photography is lovely; that drew me into the book even more than the text. That all of the photography was done by the author is an interesting conceit, and might have worked if the photography were better connected to the text. I had to work hard to figure out which, if any, photograph corresponded with the text o ...more
I like that this book emphasizes the science of the strange and wonderful strategies employed by various plants. The photography is lovely; that drew me into the book even more than the text. That all of the photography was done by the author is an interesting conceit, and might have worked if the photography were better connected to the text. I had to work hard to figure out which, if any, photograph corresponded with the text o ...more
A book about the many different adaptations of the plant world, including many examples of species around the world with unusual or unique traits. The photography is lovely; the prose is painfully stiff; the material explores a very broad range of subjects, at a very shallow depth.
It's an excellent book for a middle-school or early high-schooler who has discovered an interest in botany, and could use further exposure to the wide range of possibilities within the plant kingdom. ...more
It's an excellent book for a middle-school or early high-schooler who has discovered an interest in botany, and could use further exposure to the wide range of possibilities within the plant kingdom. ...more
3.5 stars, read for the #paperbacksummer challenge.
There is a wealth of information here, along with some beautiful photography. On the other hand, the book is rather dry for cover-to-cover reading, and the lack of clear categories makes it difficult to dip into for specific references. I also wish that common plant names accompanied the scientific ones in the index.
A good reference and reminder of the scientific organization of plants. There was only one or two plants that I didn't already know about. One was the banksia coccinia that grows in New South Wales, Australia. Another impressive one is the "wonder plant". The color photos are great.
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Jesse Vernon Trail is an author, instructor, and curriculum developer in environment, ecology, sustainability issues, horticulture, and the natural history of plants. He has had articles published in The Ecologist, Garden Making, Canadian Gardening, Plant and Garden, Fine Gardening, Gardenwise, Harrowsmith Country Life, Alive, and Outdoor Canada. Jesse lives in Vernon, B.C.
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