Botany for Gardeners

by Capon, Brian

• ISBN13: 9781604690958
• ISBN10: 160469095X
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-05-21
• Publisher: Timber Press

Summary

A bestseller since its debut in 1990, this indispensable and handy reference has now been expanded and updated to include an appendix on plant taxonomy and a comprehensive index. Two dozen new photos and illustrations make this new edition even richer with information. Its convenient paperback format makes it easy to carry and access, whether you are in or out of the garden. An essential overview of the science behind plants for beginning and advanced gardeners alike.

What happens inside a seed after it is planted? How do plants reproduce and grow? What roles do minerals, air, and light play in the life of a plant? Still the most complete, compact, accessible introduction to the world of botany, this third edition includes dazzling electron microscope photos and even more amazing facts about plants. From plant anatomy to basic genetics, this marvelous book explains the science of plants in plain language anyone can understand.

"A combination of crisp, friendly writing and detailed, understandable illustrations (both line drawings and photographs) yields a great book that will be a welcome addition to the reference shelf." -Kim Long Bloomsbury Review

"Gives the basics in a layperson's language, and it's not the size of a typical scientific tome, which in my book recommends it highly." -Dulcy Mahar Oregonian

"An essential reference for every gardener—and every young person who otherwise won’t learn the botanical sciences and miss out on a whole lot of life."-Margaret Roach A Way to Garden blog

“An outstanding and enjoyable introduction to botany, whether the reader is a gardener, or just a garden visitor."-SciTech Book News

Author Biography

A native of Cheshire, England, BRIAN CAPON received a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Chicago. For thirty years he was professor of botany at California State University, Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 9
Introduction	p. 11
Growth	p. 15
Cells and Seeds: Basics and Beginnings
Cells	p. 18
Cell Walls	p. 20
Wall Structure and Cell Growth	p. 21
Growth Processes	p. 23
Meristems	p. 23
Seed Coats	p. 26
Food-Storage Structures and the Embryo	p. 27
Seed Germination	p. 31
Other Germination Requirements	p. 33
Roots and Shoots: How Plants Mature
Root Systems	p. 37
Root Growth	p. 39
Root Hairs and Branches	p. 40
Primary Growth in Stems	p. 41
Development of a Woody Twig	p. 47
Features of a Woody Twig	p. 48
Leaves	p. 50
Plants as Food: Human Selection of Edible Plants	p. 57
Organization	p. 59
Inside Stems
Herbaceous Stems	p. 62
Stem Thickening	p. 65
Other Features of Wood	p. 70
Monocot Stems	p. 73
Inside Roots and Leaves
A Root's Primary Tissues	p. 77
Secondary Growth in Roots	p. 79
Cellular Organization in Leaves	p. 80
Plant Cell Types	p. 85
Plants as Food: Implications of Global Warming	p. 91
Adaptation	p. 93
Adaptations for Protection
The Garden Habitat	p. 97
Environmental Modification	p. 98
Limiting Factors	p. 99
Protection in Extreme Environments	p. 102
Protection against Animals	p. 106
Protection by Camouflage	p. 109
Protection by Ants	p. 110
Wound Healing	p. 111
Chemical Protection	p. 114
Mode of Operation of Chemical Protectants	p. 118
Other Methods of Defense	p. 119
Adaptations to Fulfill Basic Needs
Competition between Plants	p. 120
Reaching toward the Sun	p. 121
Spreading Stems	p. 122
Climbing Structures	p. 124
Lianas and Epiphytes	p. 124
Supportive Roots	p. 126
Special Methods of Water Uptake	p. 126
Adaptations for Water Storage	p. 128
Underground Food-and Water-Storage Organs	p. 130
Saprophytes and Parasites	p. 134
Mycorrhizae and Root Nodules	p. 138
Insectivorous Plants	p. 140
Plants as Food: What is Genetic Engineering?	p. 143
Functions	p. 145
Control of Growth and Development
Growth Responses to Light	p. 148
Responses to Gravity and Touch	p. 152
Other Growth Movements in Plants	p. 155
Hormones and the Aging Process	p. 156
Control of Branching and Adventitious Root Formation	p. 159
Other Hormone Effects: Synthetic Growth Regulators	p. 160
Environmental Control: Temperature	p. 161
Vernalization	p. 162
Environmental Control: Photoperiod	p. 163
The Uptake and Use of Water, Minerals, and Light
Osmosis: The Cell's Water Pump	p. 167
Development of Root Pressure	p. 170
Transpirational Pull	p. 172
Cold Hardening	p. 174
Mineral Nutrient Needs	p. 174
Soils	p. 179
The Photosynthetic Apparatus	p. 181
Light Transformed into the Energy in Food	p. 184
The Photosynthetic Process	p. 185
Gas Exchange with the Atmosphere	p. 188
Nature's Hidden Details	p. 190
Reproduction	p. 195
From Flowers to Fruits
Flower Parts and their Functions	p. 198
Pollination by Animals	p. 203
Road Maps and Rewards	p. 204
Inflorescences	p. 206
Pollination by Wind and Water	p. 210
Pollination Alternatives	p. 211
The Reproductive Process	p. 213
Seedless Fruits and Unusual Embryos	p. 215
Fruit Types	p. 216
Seed Dispersal	p. 219
The Cost of Reproduction	p. 221
Strategies of Inheritance
Genetics: The Science of Heredity	p. 222
Mitosis and Meiosis	p. 223
The Life Cycle of a Moss	p. 224
The Life Cycle of a Fern	p. 226
The Two Generations of Flowering Plants	p. 228
Chromosome Segregation during Meiosis	p. 231
Gene Segregation during Meiosis	p. 232
Consequences of Imperfection	p. 235
The Origins of Polyploidy	p. 236
Custom-Made Plants of the Future	p. 238
Epilogue	p. 241
About Plant Names	p. 242
Glossary	p. 247
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 261
Index	p. 263
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