The Book of Seeds: A Lifesize Guide to Six Hundred Species from around the World

600種奇特且美麗的種子圖鑑。原生自印度洋賽席爾群島的海椰子，生長出世界上最大的堅果；小到幾乎看不見的蘭花種子長得像大頭圖釘；優雅的旅人蕉，長出的鈷藍色核果，帶著一種高貴的神祕感，這些大小、形狀、顏色殊異的種子，是植物最複雜的器官，也是希望的象徵。本書收錄600幅以原尺寸重現的種子照片，並且以版畫的形式呈現該種子的植物樣貌。按植物分類學編排，簡明的世界地圖與列表說明植物的類別、分布地區、棲息地的特徵、以及保育狀態，以前所未有的方式，深入探討600種植物的重要特徵、它們的稀有程度、以及在分類學上的重要性，藉此呈現種子的多樣性。"These seeds will captivate you whether you're a gardener or not." - The Washington Post "A sumptuous guide to 600 of the world's weirdest and most beautiful species, from the black seed with hair like Donald Trump to pinhead-sized orchid seeds." - The Guardian "The book drives home the incredible botanical wealth that is found on our precious blue planet." - The English Garden True time capsules of life, seeds are significant items of hope and promise. They are the most complex organs plants ever produce, and come in an enormously diverse range of shapes, sizes, and colours; from the impressive coco de mer nut to the microscopic seeds of an orchid, to the extraordinary cobalt blue of the traveller's palm pit. Seeds are often overshadowed by the adult plant's size and show. Here, 600 seeds are spotlit, each given equal attention, each shown as glorious photographs, life size and in detail, alongside an engraving of the parent plant. Every profile includes a population distribution map, a table of essential information, and a commentary revealing notable characteristics, related species, and a diagnosis of the specimen's importance in terms of taxonomy, rarity, dispersal method, and scientific significance. Arranged taxonomically, this essential reference reveals the variety and importance of seeds to an extent never seen before.