Customer Reviews

Fern Finder: A Guide to Native Ferns of Central and Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada

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Among flowering plants, the flowers are often a crucial feature in identifying them. But then there are non-flowering plants, such as the Pteridiophytes, which include ferns. Those who know a lot about flowering plants can still be at a loss when it comes to identifying ferns. Some of the best books about wildflowers feature colorful pictures, and those can be a major aid to identification. But when it comes to ferns, with their tinier reproductive structures that are less showy than all but the smallest flowers, pictures alone are much less of a vital key to identification. Instead, one needs to observe details like clumped or scattered growth patterns, scaly or smooth stipes (the stems of fern fronds), and arrangement and shape of the sori (clusters of spore-bearing parts). This small but useful book is an excellent introduction to these and other features important in fern identification. Once you learn them, the book provides a key for sorting out what fern one is observing, using those features. This book best covers the ferns of the eastern and central U.S. and Canada. As shown on this site, there is also a Pacific Coast version of this book for those observing and hoping to identify ferns there.

This is a great book in a small package. Graphic icons convey useful information that is understandable at a glance. Excellent illlustrations. Good for beginner or intermediate fern student. I use it as a supplement to text-heavy fern guides.