Wildflowers of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains

Wildflowers describes over 600 species with one or more photos of each. Arranged alphabetically by plant family, the plants are described, summarized, and illustrated to facilitate learning. Similar plant specifies are mentioned and their differences highlighted.

Includes section on geology, geography, flower parts, scientific names, plant communities, and places to go wildflower-watching, all accompanied by photographs and illustrations. Though technical terms are minimized, those used are presented in a glossary. Written, edited, and review by professional biologists and local experts.

In an approach unique among wildflower guides, living things that rely on specific plants are presented alongside those plants, such as monarch butterfly, golddenbush borer beetle, snowberry clearing moth, coastal California gnatcatcher, cactus wren, Anna s hummingbird and phainopepla. Groups of associated species ( guilds ) discussed include milkweed, cactus, California sycamore, California buckwheat, California lilac, yucca, and cattail.

Each entry features: -Common and scientific names. -Description with diagnostic characteristics italicized. -Flowering time, habitat, and local range. -Known and suggested places to find the plant. -Meaning of its scientific name and name of the person that named it. -For many, similar species with which it may be confused.

From shoreline of Crystal Cove State Park; to the canyons, grasslands, and foothills of Caspers Wilderness Park; beckoning peaks of the Santa Ana Mountains; and the rolling hills and washes of Temescal Valley, this book will be your guide to the beautiful wildflowers you encounter.

This book is a treasure trove of information on a surprisingly varied range of subjects - part field guide, part encyclopedia, and part love letter to Mother Nature. A lifetime of fieldwork is condensed into a volume that is instantly an irreplaceable resource for biologists, conservationists, and naturalists in Orange County and beyond. Bruce A. Aird, President, Sea and Sage Chapter, National Audubon Society.

This extraordinary book will captivate aspiring and professional botanists alike with its wealth of gorgeous informative images and compelling descriptions. Anyone interested in the flora of California in general will find much of value here, including aspects of natural history that are rarely if ever encountered in plant guides and that speak to the authors vast field experience and observational skills. Bruce G. Baldwin, Professor of Integrative Biology and Curator of the Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley

This is the definitive Orange County flower guide we have all been waiting for! Not only have Allen and Roberts spent a lifetime studying the region s botany but they have educated the public on the region s natural resources. This book is the culmination of those efforts, and Orange County nature lovers are thrilled! Max Borella, Executive Director, Laguna Canyon Foundation.