Writing in her incomparably engaging style, Carol Gracie discusses remarkable plants from around the globe, botanical art and artists, early botanical explorers, ethnobotanical uses of plants, botanical classification and terminology, the role of plants in history, and more. She shares illuminating facts about van Gogh's sunflowers and reveals how a hallucinogenic weed left its enduring mark on the early history of the Jamestown colony. Gracie describes the travels of John and William Bartram?father and son botanists and explorers who roamed widely in early America in search of plants?and delves into the miniature ecosystems entangled in Spanish moss. The book's convenient size allows for it to be tucked into a pocket or bag, making it the perfect companion on your own travels.

Carol Gracie was a naturalist, photographer, and lecturer with a special interest in plants and insects. Her books include Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast and Summer Wildflowers of the Northeast (both Princeton) and Wildflowers in the Field and Forest. Amy Jean Porter is an artist, illustrator, and naturalist. She is the illustrator of Fungipedia (Princeton) and The Artists' and Writers' Cookbook.