Wildflowers of Minnesota Field Guide

Autorentext

Naturalist, wildlife photographer and writer Stan Tekiela is the author of more than 175 field guides, nature books, children's books, wildlife audio CDs, puzzles and playing cards, presenting many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, trees, wildflowers and cacti in the United States. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota and as an active professional naturalist for more than 25 years, Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and Canada. He has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs. Also a well-known columnist and radio personality, his syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers and his wildlife programs are broadcast on a number of Midwest radio stations.

Klappentext

This updated field guide, organized by color, helps readers quickly identify the Minnesota wildflowers they see.

Leseprobe

Alfalfa
Medicago sativa Family: Pea or Bean (Fabaceae) Height: 1-3' (30-90 cm) Flower: tight spike clusters, 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) long, of blue-to-purple flowers, each 14-13" (.6-.8 cm) long; flowers have 1 large upper petal and 3 smaller lower petals Leaf: 3-part clover-like leaf, 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) long Fruit: green seedpods twist into coils and become nearly black with age Bloom: spring, summer, fall Cycle/Origin: perennial, non-native Habitat: dry, sun, fields, along roads Range: throughout Stan's Notes: This deep-rooted perennial is usually found along roads or fields where it has escaped cultivation. Alfalfa is often planted by farmers as a food crop for farm animals and to improve soil fertility (it fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil through its roots). A winter-hardy variety of alfalfa, developed by Wendeline Grimm in Carver County, Minnesota, in the late 1800s, was partially responsible for the establishment of the dairy industry in the upper Midwest in the early 1900s. Alfalfa's thin stems often cause the plant to fall under its own weight at maturity, leaving it prostrate. Its flower color ranges from light blue to dark purple, and it is a prime host plant for the alfalfa butterfly, Orange Sulphur.

Inhalt
Introduction Sample Page The Wildflowers

• Blue
• Brown
• Green
• Orange
• Pink
• Purple
• Red
• White
• Yellow Checklist/Index Glossary About the Author