Orchids of Tropical America
Whether you journey abroad to find orchids in the wild, raise them in your home, or admire them from afar, this new book from Joe Meisel offers fascinating insights into the diversity and natural history of one of Earth’s most enchanting flowering plants. Beyond the plant and flower descriptions and abundant full color photography, Orchids of Tropical America: An Introduction and Guide (Cornell University Press; new in paperback at $22.19) is packed with informative stories about the ecology and history of each genus. The book details pollination ecology, with an emphasis on how floral features distinctive to the genus are linked to interaction with pollinators, and also features information on medicinal and commercial uses, notes on the discoverers, and relevant historical data.