Botany, Plants, Reference 

The boreal forest is a vast patchwork of interesting and distinctive ecosystems - from aspen forests, jack pine/lichen forests, and old growth spruce/fir forests, to waterlogged peatlands, dry rock outcrops and grasslands. The plants of these ecosystems are the subject of this book. This guide is designed for anyone interested in the plants of the western boreal forest and aspen parkland. The guide presents a simple yet thorough account of all major land-plant groups, and some aquatics, occurring in this diverse but relatively little-known region. While most other guides describe plants occurring within particular states or provinces, we have tried to present information on the entire western boreal bioregion, following ecological and climatic, rather than political, boundaries.' This guide 'includes more than 800 colour photographs, almost 900 line drawings, a colour photo guide to wildflowers, clear species descriptions to help identify plants and intriguing notes about edible plants, native uses of plants and origins of plant names.