The science of plants : inside their secret world
(Book)

At head of title: Smithsonian.

Previously published as: Flora. 2018.

Includes index.

Explore the intricate inner workings of the plant kingdom--where seeds become shoots, and flowers become fruits--with this spectacular introduction to botany and how plants work. Stunning photography and engaging text combine to explain the intimate secrets of both the familiar and exotic, from roses and lilies to rainforest orchids, mangroves, and cacti. Discover how plants in scorching deserts, on frozen mountain peaks, and along coastal shores adapt to the challenging conditions in which they grow. Learn how roots and leaves provide food and energy, and how plants deploy extraordinary strategies to protect their precious resources from animals and insects--from bristly stems, thorny branches, and sticky resin to chemical messages designed to attract help from other creatures. Chapters on roots, stems and branches, leaves, flowers, and seeds and fruits ensure that every part of the plant is thoroughly explored. Meet plants with leaves that eat meat, flowers that use color and scent to communicate with their pollinators, and trees that withstand hurricanes, as well as seeds and fruits designed to travel phenomenal distances to fertile ground. To complete the picture, there is a detailed catalog of more than 70 significant plant families--from onions and orchids to tree ferns, horsetails, and club mosses--together with a full list of all the families in the plant kingdom.