Plants and Fungi

Holistic, accessible, and beautifully illustrated, this is an essential and timely guide to the world`s key plant and fungus species. Written by specialist experts, Plants and Fungi is a botanical exploration of the world`s most fascinating species, many of which are also highly valued for their ecological, economic, and cultural importance. In this book, you will find: An exploration of all of the main groups - from the fleeting wildflowers that bring life to deserts to the towering giant trees of tropical rainforest giants, and from the lichens of the Arctic to the cultivated seaweeds of South East AsiaThe spectacular diversity of plants and fungi, the ecosystems they support, their symbiotic relationships with animals and each other, and their use in everything from food to clothing and medicine. Explanations of the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of plants and fungiThe book explores how Plants and Fungi grow and reproduce and how they have evolved to adapt to every continent on Earth – even in the harshest conditions – while celebrating their beauty and diversity and telling the story of the world`s more unusual and intriguing species.