Flora of Malaysia Illustrated

Flora of Malaysia Illustrated is a delightful portfolio of plant portraits selected from among the many thousands of species, both wild forest dwellers and cultivated garden ornamentals, that live in Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak in northern Borneo. The 58 species of native and introduced vascular plants were chosen for their innate beauty in form, texture, and color, and for their diversity in growth habit and habitat. The book begins with some background information about the entire Malaysian flora, with special reference to its diversity and richness and the factors which underlie this. The descriptions and illustrations which follow are grouped under 15 sections, each prefaced by a brief introduction and illustrated by 3-5 watercolors of representative species. The plant descriptions provide information of general interest about the plant's nativity and distribution in Malaysia, appearance and growth habit, traditional uses, botanical and vernacular names, and classification. The book concludes with a select bibliography and an index to scientific and common names. The author, David T. Jones, and the illustrator, Penny German, have combined their talents to produce a book which is not only scientifically informative but also aesthetically pleasing, and which will appeal to students and amateur and professional botanists as well as those with a keen interest in art and natural history.