Botany in a Day

The Patterns Method of Plant Identification Thomas J. Elpel's Herbal Field Guide to Plant Families (5th Edition, January 2004) Botany in a Day is changing the way people learn about plants! Tom's book has gained a nationwide audience almost exclusively by word-of-mouth. It is now used as a text and recommended by herbal and wilderness schools across North America. Instead of presenting individual plants, Botany in a Day unveils the patterns of identification and uses among related plants, giving readers simple tools to rapidly unlock the mysteries of the new species they encounter throughout the continent. Too often people try to learn plants one-at-a-time, without rhyme or reason. Now you can cut years off the process of learning about plants and their uses. Tom's book helps you beyond the piece-meal approach to botany and herbalism towards a more "whole" approach. Within 1 1/2 hours you can understand the big-picture of botany and herbalism. Learn how related plants have similar features for identification. Discover how they often have similar properties and similar uses. See also Shanleya's Quest: A Botany Adventure for Kids ages 9 to 99 Tom's book takes you beyond the details towards a greater understanding of the patterns among plants. By mid-morning you can be in the field, matching flowers to the patterns in the book. Instead of learning plants one-at-a-time you will discover that you can learn them by the dozens--just by looking for patterns. Most plant books cover only one or two hundred species. Botany in a Day includes more than 100 plant families and over 700 genera--applicable to many thousands of species. By the end of the day you will have a functional knowledge of botany. You will be able to continue growing your knowledge of plants and plant patterns--in the wild, in your garden, among house plants, even at the florist. Understand the magic of patterns among plants, and the world will never look the same again! All of the interior pages of Botany in a Day were printed with soy inks on 100% recycled paper. $1.00 from every copy sold is donated to 3Rivers Park to help purchase habitat for people and wildlife in the Missouri Headwaters watershed in southwest Montana.