Book ID: 97188
Eckenwalder, James E.
Conifers of the World. The complete reference. 2009. col. photogr. figs. maps. 720 p. 4to. Hardcover.
The author discusses the relationships among the groups, practical usages, champion trees, fossil occurrences, and biology. New identification guides for the families and genera are based whenever possible on foliage features and thus should be easier to use than traditional conifer keys, which focus on seasonal, and often microscopic, cone characters. The author shares the reasoning behind his taxonomic decisions, many of which are unique to this book, reflecting a comprehensive reevaluation of conifer classification. He also outlines the features sought in cultivars of each genus, particular cultivation concerns, and conifers recommended for cultivation under various conditions and to achieve different effects. With its attention to detail and extensive bibliography, this major work is and essential reference for botanists, naturalists and horticulturists.