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  • Woody Plants of Kentucky and Tennessee The Complete Winter Guide to Their Identification and Use
  • Philip Smartt (bio)
Ronald L Jones and B Eugene Wofford The University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40508; URL: http://www.kentuckypress.com. Order through Hopkins Fulfillment Service, PO Box 50370, Baltimore, MD 21211; 800.537.5487; hfscustserv@press.jhu.edu; ISBN 978-0-8131-4250-0. 2013, 7 in x 10 in, US$ 45; 224 p, 630 color photos, 2 maps, 57 figures.

Anyone who has spent time in the woods has encountered a tree at one time or another that they could not identify. Even those who can identify trees often find identifying them in the winter especially difficult. A tool that can be employed by both the novice and the expert to identify unknown trees is an identification key. These are typically in book form and one such key is Woody Plants of Kentucky and Tennessee: The Complete Winter Guide to Their Identification and Use by Ronald L Jones and B Eugene Wofford.

This book is laid out in 6 sections, with an additional 5 appendices. In the first section the authors state that their purpose in writing the book is to help with the identification of woody plants, hoping it will be useful to a wide variety of individuals from the student to the practitioner who might be using it in conjunction with their work. In addition to identification, the book contains information about various uses of the described woody plants. While specifically designed for Kentucky and Tennessee, the book does have application outside those regions.

The introduction, along with stating the purpose and coverage of the book, contains sections that discuss how to use the book, their sources of information, how the book is formatted, and the abbreviations they use. Section I provides an excellent overview of woody plants, and it contains a very good and useful glossary. Important terms are bolded and defined in a clear manner. Also in this section is where we are introduced to the stunning photography found in the book. At the beginning of the book a section discusses how the outstanding photographs were taken and the techniques that were used in their production. This was a nice touch, especially for those who are interested in the art and science of photography.

Sections II, III, and IV contain the actual keys themselves, which are set up sequentially. The questions that guide you through the keys are set up in a dichotomous format. With a proper understanding of the terms used in these questions, one should be able to go from a woody plant they do not know to having properly identified it.

I must admit my own frustration with using keys. I remember as a dendrology student thinking that if I understood how to use a key, I wouldn’t need it. I did practice using this particular key on several woody plants and each time I was able to successfully make the identification. I did not find it necessarily easier or harder to use than other keys that I am familiar with.

I would suggest changing only a few things. In Section I, the text below the photographs is set in a sans serif font in all capital letters, which is difficult to read. In Section III, when you have identified to a particular genera, such as Pinus, no page numbers are provided to direct you to the appropriate location in Section IV where you key to a specific species. The genera are in alphabetical order in Section IV but page numbers would make it much easier to find them. Finally, the material related to cordage and the construction of bows and arrows seemed out of place. It might be better to focus on identification and to prepare a separate book on the various uses of woody plants.

Overall, it is a useful book. The glossary and the photography alone make it a worthwhile addition to anyone’s library. [End Page 88]

Philip Smartt

Philip Smartt is a Professor in Natural Resources Management in the Department of Agriculture, Geosciences, and Natural Resources, University of Tennessee, Martin.

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