BOOK REVIEW – Gardens Illustrated, June 2007, page 110
Flowering Plant Families of the World
VH Heywood, RK Brummitt, A Culham, O Seberg
While the authors may be intellectual heavyweights of the taxonomic world,
anyone who is seduced by the delightful illustrations on the cover will not be
overawed by the knowledge within.
This concise, informative introduction to the world’s 506 families of flowering
plants follows a similar format to its predecessor Flowering Plants of the
World. It differs in incorporating recent changes that have been made to plant
families following advances in technology, such as DNA sequencing, which
have revolutionised plant taxonomy and scientific research over the past 25
years.
Despite its scientific basis, this erudite tome successfully combines the dual
role of authoritative reference work and coffee table delight due to the
exquisite botanical illustrations and anatomical details of plants that illuminate
page after page. It is a shame that the artists, Judith Dunkley, Victoria
Gorman and Christabel King do not receive greater recognition for their
talents in the book’s acknowledgements.
Gardeners can be forgiven for skipping the family descriptions, which are
laden with intimidating botanical terms, but those seeking enlightenment are
aided by a thorough and comprehensive glossary, one of the finest I have
seen, which makes this book a ‘must have’ for keen amateur, student and
professional alike.
This is a book to dip into rather than read. It is fascinating to look up the
names of common garden plants in the index, which is well furbished with
Latin and common names, then return to the main text with its small maps
illustrating the family distribution, paragraphs on habitat, important genera and
notes on family members with ethnobotanical and economic importance – all
of which provide a succinct, informative overview.
At a time when discovering your ancestry is en vogue, this is the ideal way to
meet the family and unearth some fascinating facts about them; finding that
olive, ash and privet are related, and that lime (Tilia) bark was used to make
brushes and footwear will both amuse and amaze in equal measure. This
informative, beautifully illustrated book is a pleasure to read and also acts as
a timely reminder that plants not only enhance or environment but are the
basis of our future and the survival of humankind.
Matthew Biggs is a broadcaster, plantsman and a panel member of BBC
Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. His latest book is Gardening at Eden
and How to Do it at Home.