Flowering Plants Of The Galapagos

The Galapagos are home to a wide-ranging assortment of unusual plants and animals. The islands became famous as the site of Charles Darwin's research leading to his theory of evolution by natural selection, and their magnificent flora and fauna continue to draw visitors from around the world. Based on the authors sixteen years of fieldwork and featuring his exceptional photography, Flowering Plants of the Galapagos is the first accessible and in-depth, yet compact, guide to the plant life of the area. An invaluable resource for tourists, natural history enthusiasts, and professionals, this book • introduces the botanical history of the islands and their varied ecological zones • allows easy identification of 436 flowering plants (77 families, 192 genera, and 390 species) • covers endemic plants found exclusively in the islands, native plants, which grow in the Galapagos and elsewhere; and exotic plants present as a result of human actions • offers thorough accounts of the plants, giving the scientific, common, and family names; range; islands inhabited; habitat; description; and additional notes of interest • is richly illustrated with 266 color photographs of flowering plants and 117 of plant pollinators, vegetation zones, nonflowering plants, and the islands themselves • organizes species by form, leaf arrangement, and flower color, and includes descriptive plant drawings to aid in identification • provides a map of the Galapagos and a list of plants likely to be seen at popular tourist sites