Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico: Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia, and Manzano

This guide will add enormously to the satisfaction of curious plant observers, whether resident or visitor, in the mountains of New Mexico that are covered. A thoughtful, beautiful collection of plants likely to be encountered during the growing season are included. Featuring unusual detail with multiple photographs of each species, this book is an asset worth the backpack weight. Species are arranged by color for easy scanning. Descriptions use visible characters and simple language assuming only basic knowledge of plant parts, yet educate about more technical terms in the text and glossary. Professionals will appreciate recent synonyms included with current names. The book gently draws the reader into a greater understanding of botany, ecology, and ethnobotany through its species descriptions, coverage of the plant community and elevation inhabited, and concise notes of plant uses. The green- and brown-flowered section includes more subtle and weedy species. One minor criticism: In this educational work each native or introduced plant is presented without an invasiveness statement, which is a lost opportunity for users to gain understanding of some significant nonnative pest species that are impairing sustainability of our natural areas.