Most of us lump plants together in one big family, and when pressed can only explain their grouping by what they’re not—not an animal, not a mineral, and so

Understanding the flowering plants of any region begins with the recognition of families. This remarkable volume, created to serve students, professionals, and

Flowering plant families of the world is the successor to Flowering plants of the world (1978).

Includes mainly plant families found in current horticultural literature. Includes key to some flowering plant families and color photographs.

This volume enables readers to identify California's native and naturalized plants by learning to recognize plant families. The heart of the book contains user-