Product Description

"Conifers of California" is the first book entirely devoted to the state's native cone-bearing trees and shrubs. Richly illustrated, it serves as both a natural history and field guide. Each species' narrative is accompanied by a full-page color botanical illustration, photographs from the wild, detailed indentification information, and a range map.

California is home to more than 50 native species of pines, first, spruces, junipers hemlocks, and other conifers. "Conifers of California" covers the state's world-renowned cone-bearers, such as coast redwood, giant sequoia, and bristlecone pines, and also features its many other rare and unusual conifers, such as Torrey pine, Santa Lucia fir, and Brewer spruce.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #288749 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 274 pages

Review
California is home to about 10% of the world's conifer taxa, including pines, firs, spruces, junipers, hemlocks, and other cone-bearers. Each species is succintly and comprehensibly described as to its biology, habitat, indentifying features (at a distance, standing beneath it, and in the hand) as well as its distribution, including a map. An exquisite full-page color painting by Eugene O. Murman (1872-1962) illustrates the foliage, cone and seeds for each species. In addition, color photographs of the habitat and the tree give the reader a vivid image of these majestic species...This book should be read by all interested in California's fantastic forests. -- Jane Villa-Lobos, Plant Talk, July 1999

Conifers of California is a spectacular work that fills a huge gap in the popular literature of California flora...Lanner's writing style is clear, informative and accessible to all readers. Impressive watercolor botanical illustrations (principally by Eugene O. Murman and a few by Susan Bazell) and sumptuous photgraphs (contributed by many) depict all of the species covered in the text. All California gymnosperms are covered in this volume, except, unfortunately, the genus Ephedra (Mormon tea), of which there are eight native taxa. -- Bart O'Brien, Director of Horticulture Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden; reviewed in The Southern California Gardener July/August 1999

About the Author
Dr. Ronald M. Lanner, Professor Emeritus at Utah State University, recently retired to California after 28 years of teaching forest biology coures. His major research interests, which he has pursued worldwide, have included natural hybridization in pines, effects of aging on trees, bud development in pines, and the ecological and evolutionary effects of mutualisms of birds and pines.

Customer Reviews

Conifers of California
I've seen many, many dozens of tree books, and this, by far is the best I've seen for a particular region- for California is so large and diverse that this is truly a regional book. California has more species of coniferous trees than any comparable area in North America- most likely in the world! The eighteen species of pine and all 7 of the western true firs give some idea of the extensive conifer flora. The arrangement follows that of most tree books: an adequate introduction to get one started - followed by text on each of the 52 species. There is a beautiful painting for each tree - very detailed and accurate. For each species there's a detailed range map and ample color photos to accompany the exacting and quite complete text. Lanner includes interesting details of uses, taxonomy and ecology to augment the botanical descriptions. California conifers include the world's tallest tree(redwood), it's most massive(giant sequoia) and ceraintly the oldest tree(Great Basin bristlecone pine) - these and 49 others are excellently presented - a feast for tree enthusiasts from California and the rest of the world. Both amatuers and experts will find this book both very enjoyable and eminently useful. And at this price, believe me, its a bargain.

Excellent!
Being a biologist, reference books are a crucial tool for my trade. Until now, I had to refer to several books for information about California's conifers...no longer! This book is well (and interestingly) written, the photos and paintings are superb, and the range maps are a valuable asset. Thank-you Mr. Lanner. This will be a book I buy for my friends!

Conifers of California is a masterpiece.
An exceptionally creative and interesting book on California conifers. The prose is extraordinary as are the voluminous number of images, all in color. Inclusion of a Griffin and Critchfield distribution map for each species is a vital part of the book and singularly honors these scholarly authors. The objective coverage of the various species, with candid personal insight, makes the book particularly delightful to read. An ideal gift for a friend.