Book

Buchmann, Stephen L., author.

The reason for flowers : their history, culture, biology, and how they change our lives / Stephen Buchmann.

First Scribner hardcover edition.

New York, NY : Scribner, 2015.

x, 342 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

An exploration of the roles flowers play in the production of our foods, spices, medicines, and perfumes reveals their origins, myriad shapes, colors, textures and scents, bizarre sex lives, and how humans-- and the natural world-- relate and depend upon them.

Flowers.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 313-321) and index.

Sexuality and origins. Attracting attention ; Flowers and their ancestors ; The pollinators -- Growing, breeding, and selling. Pleasure gardens, ancient and modern ; Flowers for eternity ; Best of show ; Arriving by jumbo jet -- Foods, flavors, scents. Eating flowers ; A little dab behind the ear -- Flowers in literature, art, and myth. The secret language of flowers ; Flowers on the page ; Flower power : the meaning of flowers in art -- Flowers in the service of science and medicine. The flower and the scientist ; Good for what ails us : healing our bodies and minds -- Appendix 1. Flower statistics -- Appendix 2. Cooking with flowers : selected recipes -- Appendix 3. After bringing them home : caring for your cut flowers -- Appendix 4. Online resources for wildflower and pollinator conservation organizations.

2015017169

9781476755526

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* 9781476755533

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