Botany for Gardeners » (20th Anniversary Edition)

Brian Capon received a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Chicago and was for thirty years professor of botany at California State University, Los Angeles. He is the author of Plant Survival: Adapting to a Hostile World, also published by Timber Press.

A bestseller since its debut in 1990, this indispensable and handy reference has now been expanded and updated to include an appendix on plant taxonomy and a comprehensive index. Two dozen new photos and illustrations make this new edition even richer with information. Its convenient paperback format makes it easy to carry and access, whether you are in or out of the garden. An essential overview of the science behind plants for beginning and advanced gardeners alike.

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"An essential reference guide for those interested in how plants grow but who don't have a background in science."

Preface 9

Introduction 11

Part I Growth 15

1 Cells and Seeds: Basics and Beginnings

Cells 18

Cell Walls 20

Wall Structure and Cell Growth 21

Growth Processes 23

Meristems 23

Seed Coats 26

Food-Storage Structures and the Embryo 27

Seed Germination 31

Other Germination Requirements 33

2 Roots and Shoots: How Plants Mature

Root Systems 37

Root Growth 39

Root Hairs and Branches 40

Primary Growth in Stems 41

Development of a Woody Twig 47

Features of a Woody Twig 48

Leaves 50

Plants as Food: Human Selection of Edible Plants 57

Part II Organization 59

3 Inside Stems

Herbaceous Stems 62

Stem Thickening 65

Other Features of Wood 70

Monocot Stems 73

4 Inside Roots and Leaves

A Root's Primary Tissues 77

Secondary Growth in Roots 79

Cellular Organization in Leaves 80

Plant Cell Types 85

Plants as Food: Implications of Global Warming 91

Part III Adaptation 93

5 Adaptations for Protection

The Garden Habitat 97

Environmental Modification 98

Limiting Factors 99

Protection in Extreme Environments 102

Protection against Animals 106

Protection by Camouflage 109

Protection by Ants 110

Wound Healing 111

Chemical Protection 114

Mode of Operation of Chemical Protectants 118

Other Methods of Defense 119

6 Adaptations to Fulfill Basic Needs

Competition between Plants 120

Reaching toward the Sun 121

Spreading Stems 122

Climbing Structures 124

Lianas and Epiphytes 124

Supportive Roots 126

Special Methods of Water Uptake 126

Adaptations for Water Storage 128

Underground Food-and Water-Storage Organs 130

Saprophytes and Parasites 134

Mycorrhizae and Root Nodules 138

Insectivorous Plants 140

Plants as Food: What is Genetic Engineering? 143

Part IV Functions 145

7 Control of Growth and Development

Growth Responses to Light 148

Responses to Gravity and Touch 152

Other Growth Movements in Plants 155

Hormones and the Aging Process 156

Control of Branching and Adventitious Root Formation 159

Other Hormone Effects: Synthetic Growth Regulators 160

Environmental Control: Temperature 161

Vernalization 162

Environmental Control: Photoperiod 163

8 The Uptake and Use of Water, Minerals, and Light

Osmosis: The Cell's Water Pump 167

Development of Root Pressure 170

Transpirational Pull 172

Cold Hardening 174

Mineral Nutrient Needs 174

Soils 179

The Photosynthetic Apparatus 181

Light Transformed into the Energy in Food 184

The Photosynthetic Process 185

Gas Exchange with the Atmosphere 188

Nature's Hidden Details 190

Part V Reproduction 195

9 From Flowers to Fruits

Flower Parts and their Functions 198

Pollination by Animals 203

Road Maps and Rewards 204

Inflorescences 206

Pollination by Wind and Water 210

Pollination Alternatives 211

The Reproductive Process 213

Seedless Fruits and Unusual Embryos 215

Fruit Types 216

Seed Dispersal 219

The Cost of Reproduction 221

10 Strategies of Inheritance

Genetics: The Science of Heredity 222

Mitosis and Meiosis 223

The Life Cycle of a Moss 224

The Life Cycle of a Fern 226

The Two Generations of Flowering Plants 228

Chromosome Segregation during Meiosis 231

Gene Segregation during Meiosis 232

Consequences of Imperfection 235

The Origins of Polyploidy 236

Custom-Made Plants of the Future 238

Epilogue 241

About Plant Names 242

Glossary 247

Suggestions for Further Reading 261

Index 263