This authoritative guide showcases the unmatched beauty and
diversity of the native orchids of the southern Appalachian
mountains. Based on Stanley Bentley's many years of nature study,
it covers the 52 species--including one discovered by Bentley and
named after him--found in a region encompassing western Virginia
and North Carolina and eastern West Virginia, Kentucky, and
Tennessee.
The entry for each orchid provides the plant's scientific and
common names, a description of the flower (including color, shape,
and size), and information on the time of flowering, range, and
typical habitat, all in the context of the southern mountains. A
range map accompanies each description, and Bentley's own superb
photographs are an additional aid to identification.
Using straightforward language yet incorporating the most
up-to-date scientific information and nomenclature, the book will
be welcomed by amateur naturalists or professional botanists
looking for species in the field and by those who simply enjoy
photographs of beautiful wildflowers.