The Santa Cruz Mountains, an area covering almost 1,400 square miles from San Francisco southward to the Monterey County line, are a part of the Coast Range of Central California. The Mountains and the adjacent lowlands have a rich vascular flora, and about 1,800 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and hybrids of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants, distributed among 168 families, have been reported from the region. This comprehensive flora, the first of the area, is designed for use by both the serious beginner and the trained botanist. The flora is illustrated by 250 line drawing and ten photographs. In addition, there is a map of the Santa Cruz Mountains area and a stratigraphic profile of the rock formations. The stratigraphic profile and a section on geology have been contributed by Dr. Earl E. Brabb of the United States Geological Survey. Distributional notes, keys to families, genera, and species, pertinent synonymy, a glossary of technical terms, an index of place names, and common0name and scientific-name indexes form the body of the text. The Introduction contains a description of the geography of the Santa Cruz Mountains and adjacent lowlands, seconds on the geology and climate, a brief discussion and analysis of the vegetation and floristic affinities of the area, and a history of past botanical collecting. A selected list of references has been appended to allow the interested individual to pursue his studies further.

"Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change" is a 12 x 12'' beautifully illustrated and designed 264 page coffee table book created by conservation photographers Rob Badger and Nita Winter.Illustrations: 190 stunning images of California's diverse wildflowers and their habitats, from high mountain passes in the Sierra Nevada mountains to below sea level in Death Valley National Park.Essays: Sixteen talented and diverse authors and scientists, most of whom are women, wrote 18 storytelling style essays (1,200 to 1,800 words) about nature, conservation, climate change or taking action. The two younger authors write about hope and action, and what people can do to help create positive change. The book has three sections: The Gift of Beauty, The Human Connection and Ensuring the Future.Because people are constantly hearing about all the negative things going on in the world, Nita and Rob believed there was a need for a different, softer approach to grab people's attention and center it on the climate-change story, and conservation and population issues. They engage their audiences by first inviting them to experience the splendor of the natural world through a universal symbol of beauty, the wildflower, and then educate and inspire them to take some of the simple actions they provide to create positive change and a healthier planet. Their goal is to spread conservation and climate change ideas far beyond native plant and nature lovers, and to plant the seeds to foster action."Beauty and the Beast" is a 27 year photographic journey into the public lands of California. Lands we all own, lands under constant threat of development or resource extraction, impacts of global warming, sea level rise and wildfires. This book is as much a treasure as the flowers and creatures which are featured within its pages. Nita and Rob extend a hand to you to come in and take a long, slow look around and see what they have seen, experienced and have learned. Book includes two comprehensive indexes and a glossary.Co-published by WinterBadger Press and the California Native Plant Society

"Finally a guide to the woody plants of wildland California! The easy-to-follow vegetative keys, revealing drawings, crisp color photos, and handy range maps combine to make this a beautiful, reader-friendly resource to the novice and the expert alike. Each species has a page of text, including notes on habitat, morphology, and economic importance."--Michael Barbour, editor of California's Changing Landscapes "I love this book. It is warmly welcome as a guide for California's avid public, a public that includes natural history lovers, conservationists, consultants, agencies, and public and private land managers. It is useful, useable, packed with accurate information, and cannot help but assist us in the difficult job of preserving our natural heritage."--Jake Sigg, President, California Native Plant Society

California Plants is an essential resource for outdoor enthusiasts. With his vibrant photographs and lively writing, Matt Ritter takes the reader on a journey through the Golden State's iconic landscapes and abundant plant life. This definitive guide features more than 500 species, along with detailed descriptions, fascinating natural history stories, and handy tree and wildflower color identification charts.

The Baja California Plant Field Guide is a manual to native and naturalized plants of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. It is a useful guide for the entire Sonoran Desert and for Southern California, as over 50% of the species covered also occur in these regions. Over 715 different plants in 111 plant families are identified (most in both English and Spanish), with both scientific and common names and detailed descriptions. Many species are illustrated with color photographs. Descriptions entail plant habit and height; stem, leaf, flower, and fruit morphology; range; elevation; pollination biology; ethnobotanical uses; and discriminating comparisons with close relatives. This book is intended for everyone from the interested novice to the professional botanist.

"A valuable resource for both student and practitioner. The text and photos are clear, concise, and informative. A valuable addition to any library, the general public as well."--Kenneth S. Nakaba, FASLA, Professor, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona "This is the treed landscape knowledge source, and the design and management tool we have all been hoping to see for decades. Bridging horticulture and design, it spans without judgment native specifics, introduced "near-native," and "not-so-near-native" trees. It provides the much asked-for design settings as well as the species characteristics in all their delight and imagery. This exhaustive treatise on California trees even sets the context for the big issues of climate, geomorphic, topographic and hydrologic effects, and how we design with trees so as to be true partners in the best future for California."--Joe Brown, Principal, EDAW, Inc. "I find the concept for Chuck's book quite exciting and envision it will be used both by those involved with urban landscapes as well as those involved with restoration of native habitats. It is a well-researched compendium that will aid anyone who is interested in trees and their use in a wide variety of situations. The photographs in the book are an excellent aid in tree identifications and the single volume will reduce the need carry around multiple references for identification of both native as well as non-native trees. It is my hope that Chuck's book will stimulate greater use of California's drought tolerant native trees in landscape plantings because of their reduced water requirements and ecological compatibility with other native plants and animals."--Monty Knudsen, Assistant Project Leader, USDI Fish & Wildlife Service "Trees of the California Landscape is a masterful combination of those native and non-Californian species that have importance in wildlands or the designed landscape or both. Each of the 468-plus pages is devoted to a single species, with photographs of the tree, the bark, and leafy branches accompanied by an amazingly efficient text that summarizes the natural distribution, key identification traits, tree architecture, longevity, and suitable habitats for planting, all in a very readable style. Charles Hatch has created an excellent reference for forest ecologists, landscape designers, horticulturalists, and restoration specialists--not only in California, but throughout the United States."--Michael G. Barbour, Professor of Plant Ecology, University of California, Davis "This richly illustrated book provides a much needed resource for students, educators and practitioners."--Margarita M. Hill, Head, Landscape Architecture Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo