Darwin and His Flowers: The Key to Natural Selection

by Mea Allan

An extensively illustrated biography of the great British naturalist emphasizes his contributions to botany and the role of his botanical studies and experiments in the formulation of his theories

Genres: Natural History

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 1977

Reviews

[Saphira Bloom-Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fantastic and underrated biography of Darwin and his works in botany. I was surprised how enjoyable it was to read, was expecting it to be quite dry but Allan did an excellent job. Was also surprised to learn what an avid botanist he is, even as an evo bio Masters student I'd had the impression that he was mainly interested in birds, and I was delighted to see how many experiments he'd conducted over his lifetime elucidating the life of plans.
Must read for any botany-inclined biologist and/or fan of Darwin looking for a comprehensive view of his life.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book written about Darwin as a botanist. How his research on plants shaped his ideas about the world and helped him to develop the unifying theory of biology. It also covers much of Darwin's life story, including his voyage on the Beagle. I thought it was interesting and an enjoyable read. There are probably more definitive books on Darwin's life, but the botanical perspective gives this one a unique angle.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, detailed account of Darwin's development of his botanical skills.

[Carol Collins]

biography
first edition 1977