Flowers of Mountain and Plain

Flower colors, leaf shapes and growing places provide the practical focus of Edith S. Clements's guide to the mountains and plains of the West. Arranged by plant family, its illustrated entries pair common and scientific names with notes on height, elevation and flowering season. The opening pages introduce columbines, larkspurs and buttercups, describing the features that distinguish them and the habitats where they grow.

Clements writes for travelers and flower lovers who want to recognize plants seen on excursions. Alongside identification details, she explains how bees reach nectar and transfer pollen, traces the meanings of plant names, and points out relatives of familiar garden flowers. Later entries cover mints, wild roses and plants with feathery fruit clusters. Her stated wish to encourage preservation gives this compact botanical guide a purpose beyond naming specimens: it asks for closer attention to flowers encountered along the way.