Tropical Plants

A glimpse into the diverse beauty of forty fascinating tropical plants. This unique series of pocketbooks from Kew offers a snapshot into the diverse and beautiful world of plants and fungi. Each book lavishly showcases choice examples from different groups or collections. Tropical plants, from the self-peeling banana to the Brazilian rain tree, are a rich and biologically diverse group which draw attention with striking colors, textures, and structures. These pocket-size profiles introduce you to the beautiful plants that thrive in warm, humid environments, including the psychedelic Ayahuasca, which is famously used by indigenous cultures in the Amazon, and butterfly pea with flowers which can be used to create color-changing herbal tea. This Kew Pocketbook is an exploration of some of the most compelling tropical plants, showcased through forty stunning paintings from the Kew archives. The Library and Archives at Kew is one of the most extensive botanical libraries in the world, with the oldest item dating back to the 1370s. In this pocketbook series from Kew, each book presents forty botanical paintings from the collections, illustrating the variety within each group, as well as the diversity of the collection and artistic styles. An introductory chapter by Kew expert Brie Langley provides an overview of this plant group, and extended captions accompany each painting. The luxury finish on these books makes them a must-have gift item, printed on uncoated paper and with a cloth and foil finish.