American Wildflowers
The Odyssey Book of American Wildflowers
by Farrell Grehan, H. W. Rickett
Odyssey Press, 1964, New York
CONDITION:
Good (G). A vintage hardcover cloth-bound copy. No dust jacket. The cloth covers and boards show minor rubbing and scuffing, with the spine exhibiting minor rubbing. Hinges and joints remain in good condition. The text block and pages are in good condition, featuring a previous owner's name. The endpapers are good, bearing an inscription. Plates and illustrations are present and in good condition.
ATTRIBUTES:
There are inscriptions and/or bookseller notes on front matter. Illustrated edition. Hardcover. No dust jacket. Bound in cloth.
DESCRIPTION:
This comprehensive botanical volume serves as an accessible guide to approximately 200 of the most commonly encountered wild flowering plants native across North America. To simplify identification for nature enthusiasts and amateur botanists, the entries are cleverly organized by color, allowing readers to easily navigate through a diverse array of regional flora ranging from desert cacti to woodland violets. The text was authored by Harold William Rickett, a distinguished botanist associated with the New York Botanical Garden who made significant contributions to public botanical education.
North America boasts an extraordinary wealth of plant life, with estimates reaching some 15,000 distinct species of flowering plants distributed across vastly contrasting ecological zones. From the rich woodlands of the northeast and the high elevations of the Rocky Mountains to the arid expanses of Arizona and the Mediterranean microclimates of California, each region supports unique ecosystems. This book captures that vast biological diversity, highlighting how different geographic territories harbor specialized plant adaptations suited to their local climates and terrains.
For collectors of vintage natural history literature and botanical illustration, this volume holds notable appeal due to its mid-century aesthetic and instructional clarity. It reflects a golden era of popular nature guides that successfully bridged rigorous scientific information with visually engaging presentation, featuring numerous color illustrations that bring North American flora to life. Its enduring charm lies in its ability to inspire a deeper appreciation for the wild botanical heritage spanning the North American continent.
FLASHBACK TO 1964 WHEN THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED:
When this book was published in 1964, a vibrant New York hummed with the electric energy of the World's Fair while the civil rights movement reshaped the American landscape under the newly signed Civil Rights Act. Across the globe, the Vietnam War escalated in the Gulf of Tonkin, Nikita Khrushchev was ousted from power in the Soviet Union, and Beatlemania swept the West, forever altering popular culture. Meanwhile, the scientific world celebrated a triumph with the launch of the Soviet Voskhod 1, marking the first spaceflight with a multi-person crew.
Page Count: 252
Location: LIB-077