Field Guide to Wildflowers of Nebraska and the Great Plains. 2nd ed. 2012. 279 col. photogr. 83 illus. 2 col. maps. VIII, 266 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

From the mixed-grass prairies of the Panhandle in the west, to the Sandhills prairie and mixed-grass prairies in central Nebraska, to the tallgrass prairies in the east, the state is home to hundreds of wildflower species, yet the primary guide to these flowers has been out of print for almost two decades. Now back in a second edition with updated nomenclature, refined plant descriptions, better photographs and a new design, this Field Guide is a visual treat and educational guide to some of theregions showiest and most interesting wildflowers. Organizing species by colour, the author provides scientific, common, and family names, time of flowering, distribution both for Nebraska specifically and for the Great Plains in general, and preferred habitat including soil type and plant community from roadsides to woodlands to grasslands. Descriptions of each species are succinct and accessible. For many species, the author includes intriguing notes about edibility, medicinal uses by Native Americans and early pioneers, similar species and varieties, hybridization, and changes in status as plants become uncommon or endangered. Colour photographs allow each of the 274 wildflowers to be easily identified and illustrations provide additional details for many species.