Manual of Grasses for North America

Manual of Grasses for North America PDF Author: Mary E. Barkworth
Publisher: University Press of Colorado
ISBN: 1457180987
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1963

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Book Description
Grasses are the world’s most important plants. They are the dominant species over large parts of the earth’s land surface, a fact that is reflected in the many different words that exist for grasslands, words such as prairie, veldt, palouse, and pampas to mention just a few. As a group, grasses are of major ecological importance, as soil binders and providers of shelter and food for wild animals, both large and small. Some grasses, such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, rye, tef, and sugar cane are major sources of calories for humans and their livestock; others, primarily bamboos, are used for construction, tools, paper, and fabric. More recently, the seed catalogs that tantalize gardeners each winter have borne witness to an increasing appreciation of the aesthetic value of grasses. The Manual of Grasses for North America is designed as a successor to the classic volume by Hitchcock and Chase. It reflects current taxonomic thought and includes keys, illustrations, and distribution maps for the nearly 900 native and 400 introduced species that have been found in North America north of Mexico. In addition, it presents keys and illustrations for several species that are known only in cultivation or are of major agricultural significance, either as progenitors of bread wheat and corn or as a major threat to North American agriculture because of their ability to hybridize with crop species. The Manual of Grasses for North America is a major reference work for grasses that will retain its value for many years.

Manual of Grasses for North America

Manual of Grasses for North America PDF Author: Mary E. Barkworth
Publisher: University Press of Colorado
ISBN: 1457180987
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1963

Get Book

Book Description
Grasses are the world’s most important plants. They are the dominant species over large parts of the earth’s land surface, a fact that is reflected in the many different words that exist for grasslands, words such as prairie, veldt, palouse, and pampas to mention just a few. As a group, grasses are of major ecological importance, as soil binders and providers of shelter and food for wild animals, both large and small. Some grasses, such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, rye, tef, and sugar cane are major sources of calories for humans and their livestock; others, primarily bamboos, are used for construction, tools, paper, and fabric. More recently, the seed catalogs that tantalize gardeners each winter have borne witness to an increasing appreciation of the aesthetic value of grasses. The Manual of Grasses for North America is designed as a successor to the classic volume by Hitchcock and Chase. It reflects current taxonomic thought and includes keys, illustrations, and distribution maps for the nearly 900 native and 400 introduced species that have been found in North America north of Mexico. In addition, it presents keys and illustrations for several species that are known only in cultivation or are of major agricultural significance, either as progenitors of bread wheat and corn or as a major threat to North American agriculture because of their ability to hybridize with crop species. The Manual of Grasses for North America is a major reference work for grasses that will retain its value for many years.

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental Grasses PDF Author: Stefan Leppert
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
ISBN:
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Book Description
Wolfgang Oehme is one of the most important garden designers of the last 30 years. In partnership with James Van Sweden, who contributes an essay to this book, he ushered in the revolutionary garden style known as the New American Garden. Eschewing previous conventions such as vast lawns, clipped shrubs, and dreary beds of annuals, the New American garden embodies the simple beauty and grandeur of the prairie, defining itself with large sweeps of herbaceous perennials and grasses. The feeling of sheer beauty and calmness that pervades Oehme's gardens is a reminder of our connection to nature. Ornamental Grasses chronicles Oehme’s professional journey, from his childhood in war-torn Germany to his immense success in the United States, all the while exploring his remarkable career, both solo and in partnership with Van Sweden. Over 200 gorgeous photographs depict dreamlike gardens, “Wolfi” plants, people, and much more.

Grasses

Grasses PDF Author: Lauren Brown
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780395628812
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
How to identify 135 of the most common species of North American grasses, sedges, and rushes, with their economic and ecological importance.

Agnes Chase's First Book of Grasses

Agnes Chase's First Book of Grasses PDF Author: Lynn G. Clark
Publisher: Smithsonian Institution
ISBN: 1588343731
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Book Description
For almost seventy-five years, Agnes Chase's First Book of Grasses has been the classic guide to the structure of this complex group of plants. Clearly written and copiously illustrated with line drawings, the book is accessible to those with little or no botanical training, yet it also is respected by botanists as an authoritative introduction to agrostology. Last updated in 1959, the book now has been thoroughly revised to reflect current scientific knowledge, nomenclature, and classification. Divided into twelve lessons, the guide first surveys the basic vegetative and reproductive parts of a grass plant, then in succeeding lessons takes up increasingly more complex modifications. Formally recognized groups of grasses are discussed in a taxonomic context, with the principal focus on grass structures, particularly those of inflorescences and spikelets. Virtually all of the species discussed are illustrated with detailed line drawings. With the addition in this edition of a lesson on bamboos, coverage now extends to tropical regions and encompasses all major groups of grasses. The book also includes a short biography of Agnes Chase in the foreword and, for the first time in this edition, a glossary accompanies the appendices on grass classification.

Grasses of the Great Plains

Grasses of the Great Plains PDF Author: James Stubbendieck
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 162349477X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 736

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Book Description
A vast swath of prairie situated between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, the North American Great Plains extend across ten states in the United States and three provinces in Canada. The dominant vegetation is grass—both the native species that have long thrived here and the cultivated crops such as corn, wheat, and sorghum that are the result of human agricultural activity. This comprehensive guide, written by three grass specialists, is an invaluable tool for identification of the approximately 450 species of grasses that occur on the Great Plains. In each description, the authors cover distribution, habitat, forage value, and toxicity and include a detailed black-and-white illustration of the grass as well as a range map. Intended as a reference for landowners, rangeland specialists, students, state and federal agency professionals, and nongovernment conservation organizations, Grasses of the Great Plains will serve a wide audience of users involved in and dedicated to grassland management.

Grasses, Sedges, Rushes

Grasses, Sedges, Rushes PDF Author: Lauren Brown
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300236778
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
A practical and expertly illustrated field guide to over one hundred grasses, sedges, and rushes "No one will be able to claim that the identification of grasses, sedges, and rushes, which are of fundamental importance both environmentally and economically, are simply 'too difficult' after they have learned to use this excellent guide."--Peter Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden This elegant and easy-to-use guide is an updated and amended revision of Lauren Brown's seminal Grasses: An Identification Guide, which was first published in 1979. While maintaining the spirit and goals of the original edition--a portable, straightforward, and user-friendly guide for naturalists and plant enthusiasts--the new edition features more than one hundred grasses, sedges, and rushes that are presented with line drawings and color photographs, concise descriptions, and details on the uses of various plants throughout history. In addition, the authors are careful to highlight the subtle differences in similar species to avoid confusion, as well as offering relevant notes on plant survival strategies, invasiveness, and how different plants fit within the broader ecological landscape. Devoid of technical jargon, this volume is an indispensable tool for those curious about the often-overlooked grasses, sedges, and rushes that surround us.

The American Meadow Garden

The American Meadow Garden PDF Author: John Greenlee
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 1604691328
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
If there's one lesson every homeowner must learn, it's this: The traditional lawn is a huge, time consuming, synthetic-chemical sucking mistake. The time has come to look for new ways to create friendly, livable spaces around our homes. In The American Meadow Garden, ornamental grass expert John Greenlee creates a new model for homeowners and gardeners. For Greenlee, a meadow isn't a random assortment of messy, anonymous grasses. Rather, it is a shimmering mini-ecosystem, in which regionally appropriate grasses combine with colorful perennials to form a rich tapestry that is friendly to all life — with minimal input of water, time, and other scarce resources. Kids and pets can play in complete safety, and birds and butterflies flock there. A prairie style planting is a place you want to be. With decades of experience as a nurseryman and designer, John Greenlee is the perfect guide. He details all the practicalities of site preparation, plant selection, and maintenance; particularly valuable are his explanations of how ornamental grasses perform in different climates and areas. Gorgeous photography by Saxon Holt visually illustrates the message with stunning examples of meadow gardens from across the country. We've reached a stage where we can no longer follow past practices unthinkingly, particularly when those practices are wasteful and harmful to the environment. It's time to get rid of the old-fashioned lawn and embrace a sane and healthy future: the American meadow garden.

Lawn People

Lawn People PDF Author: Paul Robbins
Publisher: Temple University Press
ISBN: 1592135803
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
A comprehensive survey of the American lawn and how caring for it impacts people's lives.

Grasses

Grasses PDF Author: Nancy J. Ondra
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 158017423X
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 145

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Book Description
From spring green to winter gold, the drama of grasses is nonstop. One of the few books available that advises the gardener on how to uses grasses in the garden, "Grasses" features plans and practical advice for more than 24 unique gardens. The book includes an identification guide to the plants and features more than 150 color photos, illustrations, and landscape plans.

Let the Wild Grasses Grow

Let the Wild Grasses Grow PDF Author: Kase Johnstun
Publisher: Torrey House Press
ISBN: 1948814528
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 157

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Book Description
"Beautiful and expansive…in Johnstun's Let the Wild Grasses Grow, Colorado has a successor to Kent Haruf." —SEAN PRENTISS, author of Finding Abbey Let the Wild Grasses Grow chronicles the lives of Della Chavez and John Cordova, childhood friends separated by a tragic accident, who find each other again during World War II after leading separate lives of struggle through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and, for John, abuse at the hands of his grandfather. This sweeping American love story celebrates the power of home landscapes, family heritage, and first love.