China Books

The publication of two volumes [Ferns and Gymnosperms], and two others to follow [Monocots and Dicots] makes known for the first time the rich plant life of the Shanghai area. This book is the only one of its kind in English that provides an up-to-date reference of the local flora of the Shanghai region. Though not bilingual the book does contain the Chinese names of each species and a Chinese index. The many illustrations - photographs in colour and in black and white as well as drawings - will assist both Chinese and foreign readers to recognise plants in the countryside - on hills, along the road, by the banks of water courses, and in private and public gardens. This series is intended for wide usage among people interested in plants for study or pleasure and it is hoped that it may be a help to tourists, gardeners, horticulturists as well as to ecologists and conservationists, in a world where nature and plant life is relentlessly being diminished. The Shanghai area has been extensively cultivated throughout history and now has an increasingly urbanised and industrialised base. The local flora, therefore, cannot be considered as rich, but the city shelters a sizeable number of indigenous, naturalised and exotic species. On the other hand, the demand for commercial and ornamental plants has always been great whether for export or for decorating local gardens. Species introduced from Japan, Europe and America are very common and have become an important component of the local flora. The flora of Shanghai is indeed a mixture of indigenous and exotic plants whose taxonomic identification is quite difficult. Partly undisturbed flora can be found among these hills, along the coastal areas, on the islands, around villages, old temples and in parts, along the banks of creeks and rivers. The Shanghai area extends far and wide. On the east, Shanghai extends to the China Sea; to the south, to Zhejiang province; along the coast by Jinshanwei, and inland by Xindaizen and Zhianshen. To the west, the limits are near Kunshan, Qingpu, Taikang, etc. The country is flat and highly cultivated, with a few large rivers: the Yangste, the Wampu, the Suzhou/Wusong, and numerous tidal creeks. Before Shanghai was established and built the whole area was covered by a swamp. In this immense plain of alluvial soil there are a few granitic hills scattered about. Close to the City there are: the Zose (She-Shan) hills with an elevation of about 100m; Ling Yen Shan further west, near Suzhou, 350m high; Yushan, 285m, and Huishan, near Wuxi, 340m. 'Borrell has a keen insight into and rich experience of botany and has accumulated a wealth of data on the flora of Shanghai, of the Far East and of the Pacific ... He has paid a great deal of attention to Shanghai?s plant life and has pursued the task of preparing this book for some ten years even after his retirement. No one is perhaps more qualified than William Borrell. His meticulous work will, I am sure, be really appreciated by those who are interested in Shanghai flora. This book, therefore, should be invaluable to the field botanist as well as to those who are interested in the flora of Shanghai for whom it is written ... He deserves our gratitude for his perseverance and achievement. It gives me great pleasure to write the Foreword of this book.' - P.S. Hsu, Fudan University The Author: Brother William Borrell - a Marist Brother - was born in Smyrna, near Ephesus (Aegeian Turkey) in 1916 of English parents. His father and grandfather were both archaeologists who excavated sites in the area. Brother William commenced his novitiate with the Marist Brothers when he was 15, and by the time he had taken his final vows, he was living and teaching in Shanghai. Soon after his arrival in Shanghai he undertook his Baccalaureate in the natural sciences and graduated with a special interest in botany. He began his active engagement in the research of the flora of Shanghai in 1935, He was a teacher at St. Joan of Arc?s College, and later held the post of Curator of the Botany Section of Musee Heude. Borrell visited most of the parks, private gardens, countryside and hill districts of Shanghai until he was forced to leave Shanghai in 1952: Borrell and his fellow brothers made a decision to stay on as long as they could in China after the 1949 Revolution, but eventually Borrell and six of his companions were escorted to Hong Kong by members of the revolutionary army to make sure they left the country. In the war years in Shanghai Borrell was interned in a prisoner-of-war camp by the Japanese as he was classified as an 'enemy alien' since he was a holder of a British passport. After a long absence, Brother William returned to Shanghai in 1991 at the invitation of the Shanghai Museum of Natural History and completed his unfinished work. Here he was reunited with a colleague - Professor Hsu Ping Shen ? who he had first met in 1934 and hadn?t seen for 39 years. O. William Borrell, FMS was Research Associate (1980-1995) at School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Australia. He lives in retirement at Marcellin College in Bulleen, Victoria.   (For this item please quote stock ID 4635) ISBN: 9780646281797

Included in this album are 152 different ornamental plants from 32 families. Among them 74 are endemic to China, many are classified as second level state-protected plants, almost half are medicinal herbs and they all grow at an elevation of 3000 metres and above. The most well known of these plants are rhododendron, primula and gentian, but there are also many others. Although they differ greatly in shape and property, they have many common characteristics no matter what family or species. A great book for the botanist, gardener, or anyone who likes beautiful plants. (For this item please quote stock ID 9154) ISBN: 9787505203235

Camellias of China is a pictorial album depicting the charms of ancient camellia trees and flowers growing in China today. Many of the camellias in this book are rare and precious species which have had a great influence on the international flower field and which have been cultivated and planted in many countries. There are 173 photographs of over 100 different kinds of camellias contained in this book, and each has an explanation about its nature, location and environment. The album provides valuable data for those engaged in the study of plants and flowers. It is not only academic but also highly readable and enjoyable. Bilingual (Chinese/English) text. (For this item please quote stock ID 11667) ISBN: 9787505202597

This album illustrates 748 wild flowers belonging to 300 genera and 80 families. Each wild flower, shown in 1-3 colour photographs taken in the field, is described in terms of its morphological character, flowering time, distribution, habitat, etc. The families are arranged according to Engler?s system of plant taxonomy, and the genera and species within each family are arranged in alphabetical order. An index to Chinese names of plants and an index to their Latin names are provided. (For this item please quote stock ID 14518) ISBN: 9787530926239

Covers over 300 species of wild ornamental plants. Angiosperms are arranged in family order of Hutchinson?s system of classification with minor supplements. Each plant is given its Latin and family names, morphological description, geographical distribution, habitat, means of propagation, and horticultural merit. Amply illustrated with exquisite color photographs. Contains complete references and an index of Latin. (For this item please quote stock ID 15170) ISBN: 9787503811982

(For this item please quote stock ID 15171) ISBN: 9787805117782

The ornamental plant resources of Yunnan province are very rich and this book covers all the important wild flowers from the diverse vegetation types in various climatic zones of this province. For tropical areas, the book focuses on some common and easily grown plants of the Orchidaceae, Zingiberaceae, Caesaloiniaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Papilionaceae, Apocynaceae and other tropical species scattered in minor families. For subtropical areas, the families of Magniliaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Melastomataceae, Theaceae and the medium and low altitude Rhododendron, Primula, Gentiana and Pedicularis are covered. All photographs were taken in natural habitats, and the accompanying text describes their morphological characteristics, distribution, ecological environment and utilization. (For this item please quote stock ID 15172) ISBN: 9787503822872

Introduces 34 rare species of flowers that are indigenous to China. They are presented in the order in which they flower - from early spring to late winter. Included are descriptions of the growth, characteristics, ecology and uses of each plant. Wu Guoting, an accomplished painter in his early 40s, has reproduced each flower in a traditional-style painting, turning the beauty of nature into works of art. Each painting and description is accompanied by a photograph to help the reader recognise the flower in its natural state. This is a book that can be enjoyed by botanists and horticulturists as well as lovers of art (For this item please quote stock ID 16945) ISBN: 9787505401037

This vegetation atlas is the most detailed and accurate vegetation map of China at present. It is based on nationwide vegetation surveys and associated research over the last 50 years, and the relevant data from aerial remote sensing and satellite images, as well as geology, pedology and climatology. The Atlas, composed of 60 separate 1:1000000 scale sheets, covers all of China and illustrates comprehensively the geographical distribution of vegetation types. (For this item please quote stock ID 18400) ISBN: 9787030089564

You can sum up the qualities of this book in three words: quality, quality, quality! Another fine piece of research, writing and photography by this intrepid garden-hunter from the wilds of Sydney's Eastern suburbs. No other person in the world could, or has, put together such a book. Winter 'Best Garden Book of the Year 2002 Australia; Choice Library Award 2002 USA (For this item please quote stock ID 19200) ISBN: 9781876314132

Chinese plant life is estimated to include up to 30,000 species and extends from the Himalayan snow line across a diversity of habitats to the lush tropical south. It is embraced by a culture going back more than 3000 years, providing plants for medicinal use and some of the most valued horticultural species. Although for many years access to Chinese plants was limited, the present situation provides an opportunity for a new and authoritative assessment of such botanical treasure-houses as Yunnan and Sichuan. The present book provides an overview of the subject and is fully referenced and indexed. It will be of interest to those working in agriculture, alternative medicine, plant conservation, ecology, genetics, horticulture, molecular biology and taxonomy. (For this item please quote stock ID 20009) ISBN: 9783540422570

(For this item please quote stock ID 20749) ISBN: 9787503833359

Yunnan Province is located in the southwest of China. The province is a low latitude, high altitude and predominantly mountainous territory with deep gorges and rivers, and a unique highland monsoon climate, consisting of wet and dry seasons and temperatures ranging from tropical to polar. Yunan has a rich geological history, and recent statistics show that more than 17,000 species of seed plants still exist. Some 2500 wild plant species of great ornamental value are recorded; 2600 species are used for herbal medicines, and 360 species as aromatic plants. This beautiful album is compiled by a number of scientists from Kunming Plant Institute who have engaged in botanic study over many years, photographing plants in gorges and mountains in tropical, semi-tropical and temperate zones. This album includes 500 species of ornamental fruit plants under 120 families, with explanations, in Chinese and English, of their Chinese names, Latin terms, botanic classification, geographic distribution, living environments, fruit season, practical use etc. (For this item please quote stock ID 20800) ISBN: 9787119033204

Ever the poet?s brush, the musician?s flute, bamboo has sounded its quiet sonatas through the lives of Asians over countless millennia. From chopsticks to tools of trade, it has fed, housed and furnished their existence, stimulated their intellect and expressed their emotions from the cradle to the grave. Little wonder that many still revere this versatile and tenaciously enduring plant. (For this item please quote stock ID 21903) ISBN: 9789889826994

The present book, Book 2, Volume III of the Flora of the Shanghai Area series covers part of the Dicots: Casuarinaceae to Apiaceae. It constitutes the sequel to Book 1, Volumes I and II, on ferns and gymnosperms published in 1996. The present book is much larger and deals with 100 Families (1330 entries). It comprises an introduction by Professor Xu Bing-sheng of the Fudan University of Shanghai, over 400 pages of text, three indices (Scientific, English & Chinese) and numerous illustrations (46 black and white photographs, 52 line drawings and 32 colour plates).   (For this item please quote stock ID 23459) ISBN: 9781876677527

(For this item please quote stock ID 25812) ISBN: 9787534125942

(For this item please quote stock ID 27135) ISBN: 9787109104792

Carefully selected plants add color, character, and charm to a wide variety of outdoor settings, providing much enjoyment and increasing the value of your home. Plants for Tropical Landscapes will help you select and group plants to create a successful tropical garden tailored to your needs and tastes. Gardeners and landscapers will find this treasury of more than 500 common plants easy to use and one of the most comprehensive guides available today. Plants are organized by size (ground covers, low shrubs, medium shrubs, small trees) and are fully illustrated with more than 600 color photographs to aid in their identification. The book presents guidelines on plant characteristics, soil and water requirements, and suggested landscape use for each species. In addition, appendices list plants suitable for special uses (xeriscapes, windbreaks, night gardens) and sites (beach gardens, lanai, and houseplants). Fred Rauch is emeritus professor of horticulture at the University of Hawai'i, where he served as Extension Specialist in Horticulture for twenty-five years. Paul R. Weissich, a licensed landscape architect, was director of Honolulu Botanical Gardens from 1957 to 1989. Since his retirement, he has been active as a consultant and volunteer on numerous landscaping projects. (For this item please quote stock ID 12015) ISBN: 9780824820343

Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Floristic Characteristics & Diversity of East Asian Plants, July 25-27, 1996 in Kunming, Yunnan, PRC (For this item please quote stock ID 24526) ISBN: 9787040068016

The tree peony, also called Mudan, is a beautiful plant that originated in China. This book - an introduction to Mudan presenting botanical, historical and current information on all its aspects - is in two parts: General and Cultivar Statements. The latter section gives a detailed and valuable introduction to more than four hundred cultivars of the Central Plains Group of China with photographs and descriptions, and describes the history, taxonomy, ecological characteristics, reproduction and cultivation of Mudan in China. (For this item please quote stock ID 15165) ISBN: 9787503820199

(For this item please quote stock ID 25813) ISBN: 9787530427651

Covers over 300 species of wild ornamental plants. Angiosperms are arranged in family order of Hutchinson’s system of classification with minor supplements. Each plant is given its Latin and family names, morphological description, geographical distribution, habitat, means of propagation, and horticultural merit. Amply illustrated with exquisite color photographs. Contains complete references and an index of Latin. (For this item please quote stock ID 2729) ISBN: 9787503814235

The ornamental plant resources of Yunnan province are very rich and this book covers all the important wild flowers from the diverse vegetation types in various climatic zones of this province. For tropical areas, the book focuses on some common and easily grown plants of the Orchidaceae, Zingiberaceae, Caesaloiniaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Papilionaceae, Apocynaceae and other tropical species scattered in minor families. For subtropical areas, the families of Magniliaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Melastomataceae, Theaceae and the medium and low altitude Rhododendron, Primula, Gentiana and Pedicularis are covered. All photographs were taken in natural habitats, and the accompanying text describes their morphological characteristics, distribution, ecological environment and utilization. (For this item please quote stock ID 15173)