Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie: The Upper Midwest

by Sylvan T. Runkel, Dean M. Roosa

This classic of midwestern natural history is back in print with a new format and new photographs. Originally published in 1989, Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie introduced many naturalists to the beauty and diversity of the native plants of the huge grasslands that once stretched from Manitoba to Texas. Now redesigned with updated names and all-new photographs, this reliable field companion will introduce tallgrass prairie wildflowers to a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts in the Upper Midwest.

Each species account is accompanied by a brilliant full-page color photograph by botanist Thomas Rosburg. In clear, straightforward, and accessible prose, authors Sylvan Runkel and Dean Roosa provide common, scientific, and family names; the Latin or Greek meaning of the scientific names; habitat and blooming times; and a complete description of plant, flower, and fruit. Particularly interesting is the information on the many ways in which Native Americans and early pioneers used these plants for everything from pain relief to dyes to hairbrushes.

Runkel and Roosa say that prairies can be among the most peaceful places on earth; certainly they are among the most beleaguered. Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie will inspire both amateurs and professionals with the desire to learn more about the wonders of the prairie landscape.

Genres: Science, Plants, Nonfiction, Gardening

280 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Species first appeared to be in a completely random order, not organized taxonomically, alphabetically, or even by bloom color. Upon further investigation, a line in the preface tells you species occur in the approximate order of their blooming time. I did not find this organizational structure at all useful.

This guide provides a detailed description for each species, but for the most part, does not include information related to distinguishing plants from similar and/or closely related species. For the most part, only 1-2 “voucher species” are listed for any one genus.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros- Fantastic pictures, solid information especially ethnobotanical uses, tells the meaning of the scientific name for each species.

Cons: Many species are missing and the plants are organized by bloom time (flower color or taxonomy would make more sense.) The information on each species is also not organized into sections, but rather many paragraphs all strung together so it is difficult to scan for pertinent information. No maps or other graphics.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, and with nice pictures, but I can't figure out any way that this book's organization is useful. You have to already know the scientific name of the plant you want to look up, essentially. No partitioning by color shape, or even common names. Weird.