The Algarve region of southern Portugal is an area of immense botanical importance with numerous endemic and rare species. It is also one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe, where it sees more than seven million tourists per year. Scientists and sightseers alike are drawn to the lovely flowers that dot the landscape. This is one of the few comprehensive identification guides that caters to both kinds of visitors, and the first edition has been a best-seller. This second edition is fully updated with new species and new findings. Information is provided on where and when to see plants with information on their habitat and vegetation types. Rare and unusual plants of the region are highlighted, including orchids and parasitic plants. The more than one thousand descriptions are accompanied throughout with over 650 stunning color photographs, 780 line drawings, and distribution maps.

Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Western Mediterranean is the most comprehensive and up-to-date plant identification guide to the area. The western Mediterranean is one of the most important regions in the world for its outstanding biodiversity, boasting over 10,000 plant species. The area encompasses southern Europe from the Portuguese Algarve in the west to Italy in the east, the islands (including the Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sardinia), and North Africa from Morocco in the west to Tunisia in the east.Covering over 5,000 species, this easy to use guide focuses on the most common and conspicuous species that occur in the area, with plant descriptions, colour photographs and illustrations throughout. A section on where to see wildflowers in the region is included, as well as a glossary of terms. An ideal companion for wildlife and plant enthusiasts, this guide will enable you to reliably identify wildflowers in the field.

Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the EasternMediterranean is the most comprehensive and up-to-date plant identification guide to the area. This large area has a complex and varied geology and topography but is united by its typically Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The eastern Mediterranean has an exceptionally high number of endemic species, and a flora quite distinct from the western Mediterranean Basin. The geographic coverage of this book spans the Ionian Archipelago, mainland Greece, Peloponnese, Aegean Islands, Crete, Cyprus, Mediterranean Turkey, and the coasts of Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. Featuring more than three thousand plants, this easy-to-use guide focuses on the most common and conspicuous species that occur in the area, with plant descriptions, color photographs, and illustrations throughout. A section on where to see wild flowers in the region is included, as well as a glossary of terms. An ideal companion for wildlife and plant enthusiasts, this guide will enable anyone to reliably identify wild flowers in the field.

For the first time, this extraordinary compilation showcases weird, mysterious and bizarre plants from around the world. Plants trick, kill, steal and kidnap, and this unique book explores a fascinating world in which plants have turned the tables on animals. Author Chris Thorogood showcases these plant behaviours, the interrelationships among plants, the interdependencies between plants and animals, and the intrigue of plant evolution. All types of weird and sinister are featured in this book, from carnivorous plants that drug, drown and consume unsuspecting insect prey; giant pitcher plants that have evolved toilets for tree shrews; flowers that mimic rotting flesh to attract pollinating flies, and orchids that duplicitously look, feel and even smell like a female insect to bamboozle sex-crazed male bees.

Field Guide to the Orchids of Europe and the Mediterranean is a comprehensive photographic guide to the orchids of the region written by leading experts, who between them have decades of orchid field and research experience.The book covers 30 genera and their species including Ophrys, Cypripedium, Orchis, Dactylorhiza, Epipactis and Serapias, as well as 70 natural hybrids. Much of the confusion over identification is dueto the morphological variation a species can have within a habitat and across its distribution, andtherefore to simplify identification, several images accompany each species to illustrate this diversity, along with notes on distinguishing features and distribution maps. Each species is also accompanied by common names and important synonyms, as well as notes on habitat, flowering times anddistinguishing features.