Book Description

* The first comprehensive field guide to the San Juans * Also covers the Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island * Includes an annotated checklist of all vascular plants recorded for San Juan County Washington's jewel-like San Juan Islands, outdoor playground for both foot-and water-borne visitors, are also a joy and curiosity for the flower and plant lover, both amateur and professional. On these hilly, rocky islands, wild plants appear that would seem more properly to belong in the desert areas of eastern Washington, while other plants, common as grass in the western part of the state, are strangely absent from the Islands. This authoritative field guide, illustrates and describes more than 190 species of wildflowers, shrubs, trees and weeds that occur commonly throughout the Islands as well as the nearby Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island, Canada. The plant descriptions are divided by habitats-meadows, open rocky outcrops, woodlands, maritime, fresh water, disturbed sites, Mt. Constitution -- under which they are listed by type, then color. The text also includes information on how the climate, topography and geology of the Islands affect plant life. Of special interest to serious students is the only annotated checklist in print of all vascular plants recorded for San Juan County. San Juan visitors as well as the Islanders themselves will find that this handy, compact guide adds a new and enjoyable dimension to their walks and wanders around these delightful island retreats.