"A labor of love. An exhaustive study, both comprehensive and precisely outlined."--Andy Easton, American Orchid Society

"The best one-volume field guide available for orchid enthusiasts and wildflower lovers. . . . Sophisticated and thorough enough to satisfy the most ardent field enthusiast and simple and straightforward enough to encourage the greenest novice."--Helen K. Jeude, Flora of North America North of Mexico project

Wild orchids bloom in virtually every habitat of every state and province of the continental United States, Canada, and Greenland. Orchid fanciers and collectors--a large and fervent segment of the general public--will welcome Paul Martin Brown's comprehensive, illustrated checklist and field guide to the exotic world of these elegant and intriguing flowers.

This annotated guide is packed with up-to-date information and enhanced by stunning color photographs and extraordinary drawings of each species, subspecies, and variety, many highlighting unusual color or growth forms. It provides identification, full distribution range, recent synonyms, and all subspecies varietal and forma information for all 247 taxa as well as comments about the special aspects of each species. Taxonomy and distribution data directly complement information in the Flora of North America project and the parallel dichotomous keys will be useful in the field.

The guide covers 223 species, 24 subspecies and varieties, 103 growth and color forms, and 24 hybrids. With its personal checklist and easy-to-read format, Wild Orchids of North America is perfect for the hobbyist, while offering a concise scientific reference for naturalists, botanists, and advanced orchid enthusiasts.

Paul Martin Brown is a research associate at the University of Florida Herbarium, Florida Museum of Natural History.