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James E. Eckenwalder has not just written a book about trees, he has created an epic work that may well stand for years as the definitive source for information about conifers. -- Ernie Cowan North County Times 20091213
Product Description
This definitive work provides up-to-date descriptions of all the true conifers of the world. It is the first comprehensive update of conifer taxonomy in nearly a century. Noted conifer taxonomist James E. Eckenwalder discusses the relationships, practical usages, champion trees, fossil occurrences, and biology. New identification guides for the families and genera are based on foliage features and are easier to use than traditional conifer keys. Eckenwalder shares the reasoning behind his taxonomic decisions, many of which are unique to this book, reflecting a comprehensive reevaluation of conifer classification. He also outlines the features sought in cultivars of each genus, particular cultivation concerns, and conifers recommended for cultivation under various conditions and to achieve different effects. With its unprecedented attention to detail and extensive bibliography, this major work is an essential reference for botanists, naturalists, and horticulturists.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm surprised that I'm the first to write about this superb book, an essential purchase for the conifer enthusiast that wants everything in one volume. All those interesting southern hemisphere species, detailed descriptions on pines its all here. Perhaps a little light in the photo department but not a problem for me. If you are after greater detail on specific genera then check out Farjon who seems to be able to churn out high quality volumes with great speed, but for the money this book is an absolute bargain.
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7 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
A fine piece of work
11 Dec 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
First: This is a fine piece piece of work. Eckenwalder is known and respected throughout North America for his work with conifers, and has devoted many years to the preparation of this, his masterwork. The introductory chapters, accounting for 68 of 720 pages, are especially useful. The chapters on classification and names make a great primer on taxonomy for lay audiences. The chapters on habitat and morphology present excellent information, some of it never before published, on conifer botany. The bulk of the book, pages 69 to 631, addresses the families, genera, and species of conifers. Pretty good keys are presented to enable easy identification. The treatment of each taxon consists of two or three paragraphs that contain information needed for an accurate identification, followed by tidbits on subjects like ecology, uses, etc., but there is no systematic approach to this information. There are a few drawings and maps, many black-and-white photographs, and one section with 65 glossy color photos.
Second: Eckenwalder is a "lumper" and this volume identifies only 550 conifer species. This is 65 species less than in Farjon's superb A Handbook of the World's Conifers, and 100 species less than are recognized by many taxonomists. Each species is treated in rather cursory manner, and in general there is little information on any subject other than identification by means of morphology, which means that you don't actually learn much about these species - their ecology, their importance to people, and their evolution and history remain pretty much a secret. For this reason I am annoyed by the book's subtitle, "A Complete Reference;" it's just not true. I would have subtitled it "a guide to identification" because, for most taxa, that is this volume's primary strength. The black-and-white photographs are mostly not well reproduced and add little to the substance of the book, which is regrettable but probably helped to maintain a reasonable price.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book for any one who is mainly interested in being able to identify the sort of trees that you are most likely to find in an arboretum. If you are interested in a general introduction to conifers as a group, you would be more happy with another Timber Press publication, A Natural History of Conifers. If you want to know more about the history, ecology, and uses of conifers, you are better off buying books about the species or region that interests you, or else coming up with the dough to purchase A Handbook of the World's Conifers, which addresses these subjects.
Second: Eckenwalder is a "lumper" and this volume identifies only 550 conifer species. This is 65 species less than in Farjon's superb A Handbook of the World's Conifers, and 100 species less than are recognized by many taxonomists. Each species is treated in rather cursory manner, and in general there is little information on any subject other than identification by means of morphology, which means that you don't actually learn much about these species - their ecology, their importance to people, and their evolution and history remain pretty much a secret. For this reason I am annoyed by the book's subtitle, "A Complete Reference;" it's just not true. I would have subtitled it "a guide to identification" because, for most taxa, that is this volume's primary strength. The black-and-white photographs are mostly not well reproduced and add little to the substance of the book, which is regrettable but probably helped to maintain a reasonable price.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book for any one who is mainly interested in being able to identify the sort of trees that you are most likely to find in an arboretum. If you are interested in a general introduction to conifers as a group, you would be more happy with another Timber Press publication, A Natural History of Conifers. If you want to know more about the history, ecology, and uses of conifers, you are better off buying books about the species or region that interests you, or else coming up with the dough to purchase A Handbook of the World's Conifers, which addresses these subjects.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
for the layman or the expert
6 Feb 2010
Format:Hardcover
I'm tremendously impressed by this book. The author is clearly trying to help the reader understand conifers, whether that reader is an expert or simply somebody who wants to know more about a particular species. All the scholarship and technical detail one could wish is there, presented in a clear style with a bit of the author's personality as a bonus. This seems to me clearly the book to get for complete information on all of the world's conifers.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazing conifer's book
14 Jan 2012
Format:Hardcover
This is the best taxonomic book about conifers that I have seen at 2012. It explains with many details every taxonomic idea with property and gives the most important and basic information for the identification of every conifer taxa. It explains widely the classification of families and genera using morphological and genetical characters.
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