A Sierra Nevada Flora

Identify, enjoy, or avoid Sierra wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, and trees. Follows The Jepson Manual nomenclature.

Annotation. "The Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada is the longest continuous mountain range in the United States. It contains over 50 percent of California's total flora, approximately 405 plant taxa endemic to the Sierra, and 218 taxa that are considered rare. Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada offers a comprehensive inventory of the flora of the entire range, including descriptions of the plants; their traditional and contemporary uses as food, medicine, or for making tools and other products; and information about their habitat. In addition, the authors provide an introduction that describes the natural history and ecology of the Sierra Nevada in terms of plant communities and life zones, addressing the impact of such variables as climate, elevation, soil, and precipitation. They also outline the basic principles of ethnobotany, the role of plants in human nutrition and medicine, the classification of plants, and methods of collecting plant specimens and protecting rare species. The plant descriptions are accompanied by line drawings of each major species, and there are a number of "quick keys" to help readers differentiate between similar species." "Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada is an essential reference guide for botanists, hikers, outdoors aficionados, and readers interested in the traditional uses of native plants. It is the first complete summary of the flora of one of the richest and most diverse botanical regions of North America."--Jacket.

The Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada is the longest continuous mountain range in the United States. It contains over 50 percent of California's total flora, approximately 405 plant taxa endemic to the Sierra, and 218 taxa considered rare. Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada inventories the flora of the entire range, including comprehensive descriptions of the plants; their traditional uses as food, medicine, or for making tools and other utensils; and information about their habitat. The authors describe the natural history and ecology of Sierra Nevada plants in terms of plant communities and life zones, and outline the basic principles of ethnobotany, the classification of plants, and methods of collecting plant specimens and protecting rare species. The plant descriptions are accompanied by line drawings of each major species, and the book includes a table of Sierra Nevada habitats and their associated plants, along with a list of threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant species found in the range. This text is an essential guide for botanists, outdoors aficionados, and anyone interested in the intricate connections between plants, their environment, and our human species.

When author Elizabeth Horn traveled throughout the Sierra Nevada researching wildflowers and their haunts for this field guide, what impressed her most was the mountain range's immense diversity of habitats. She found flowers blooming from the grassy west

Plants of Northern California is the complete guide to the rich and unique flora of Northern California. From lush riparian forests along the rivers and streams to oak woodlands, wetlands, grasslands, and the ephemeral pools known as vernal pools, this handy volume enables both amateur and professional to quickly and accurately identify Northern California plants. Descriptive text that includes blooming period, elevation, and habitat Species organized by color and family Plant characteristics in easy-to-understand terms Notes that include ethnobotanical uses, history, and other interesting facts Glossary of botanical terms

While the trees of Yosemite thrill visitors and the wildflowers often steal the show, every year the blue elderberry, the snowberry, the American dogwood, and dozens of other shrubs bloom in a glory all their own. This lovely volume, with inspired watercolors showing the fruit, flowers, and foliage of the plants, pays these shrubs full homage. Complete with useful information for plant identification, this book serves as a welcome and needed introduction to some of Yosemite's most interesting and often under appreciated flora.

Drawings and color plates accompany the over 750 scientifically accurate, but easy-to-understand descriptions in this guide to the plants, animals, climate, geology, physical features and human influence in the Sierra Nevada.

"The reader could hardly be disappointed with this book. More than simply a 'flower key, ' it deftly describes each species and its requirements for survival in the high Sierra. In addition to presenting an impressive collection of spectacular photographs, Graf describes the myriad physical aspects of the Basin which control the flora's vitality, its evolution and its future. This is a wildflower book with the depth and richness that will satisfy Tahoe plant lovers for a long time to come."--Joseph L. Medeiros, Sierra College