Food Plants of China. A comprehensive cultural and botanical study of the food plants of China. 2005. illus. XVI, 844 p. gr8vo. Paper bd. - In English.

This book covers the edible plants of one of the oldest continuous cultures on earth. And edible is applied in a broad connotation here;every plant consumed for food or for its therapeutic effects is treated. The material is organized into two parts: a text that introduces the cultural context of the work and presents detailed examples of the food plants and their preparation, followed by anannotated checklist of over 800 species. These two parts are extensively cross referenced. Of special interest to botanists is the annotated checklist of plants, including algae and fungi, consumed in China.Major divisions of the list are taxonomic, and within each division the plants are arranged alphabetically according to scientific name. Also provided are the names in Chinese characters, the transliteration in English of both the Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciations for the Chinese names, common names in English, and a brief commentary. The commentary presents information such as the part of the plant used, its preparation, its use, and its availability in Boston's Chinatown, which may serve as a guide for those wishing to determine whether a particular product is imported into America at this time.