New Book of Ferns
A new book on the ferns, spikemosses, clubmosses, and quillworts has been published.
Ferns, Spikemosses, Clubmosses, and Quillworts of Eastern North America by Emily B. Sessa
Dr. Emily Sessa is the director of the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium at the New York Botanical Gardens.
Dr. Sessa has written a book that describes 305 species that are part of 96 genera and 30 families. These 305 species are found in the Eastern North America. Eastern North America goes from the Mississippi River and East.
Eastern North America is divided into 4 regions, Florida; outer Southern Coastal plain; central inside United States; and Northern Midwest, Northeast, and Canada.
There are two sections, Lychophytes and Ferns. Equisetum is included in the Ferns sections.
The photographs are detailed. The identifying traits are shown in a isolated color picture, not a drawing.
The distribution maps with each specie are reminiscent of the maps seen in Peterson's Bird Guide.
The book is larger than the Cobb Field Guide, possibly a bit too large to be a field guide. It is not quite as big as Chadde.
The book combines into one volume species that have been in separate volumes. 305 species is not that many species for one book. Page count is 527.
The glossary is actually BEFORE the keys.
When one has gotten to the end of a key, there is a geographic key to let the reader know which one of the 4 regions to find the particular plant. Useful if you end with a Florida only plant, but are currently in Michigan.
The primary key stops at the genus. The first genus page has another species key.
A very good and modern reference.