The wild orchids of California

the long version

This profusely illustrated field guide covers the 32 species of orchids that grow wild in California. The first book on California's native orchids, it will be a valuable resource for professionals and hobbyists alike. The Wild Orchids of California is an impressive extension of Ronald A. Coleman's wide fieldwork, literature review, and herbarium research. Written in a clear narrative style, Coleman's species accounts describe the plants and flowers, their habitats, distribution, pollinators, and blooming season. To help readers identify the orchids, 129 exquisite color photographs show close-up details of the flowers, as well as the leaves, seed capsules, and habitats. Distribution maps document the counties in which the species grow. Orchid hunters will also appreciate the summary tables that show at a glance which species occur in a given locale. In addition, Coleman includes keys to the genera and species, and discusses the relative rarity of the different flowers and the threats to their continued existence in the wild.