Download or read book The Orchid Thief written by Susan Orlean and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2011-07-20 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK A modern classic of personal journalism, The Orchid Thief is Susan Orlean’s wickedly funny, elegant, and captivating tale of an amazing obsession. Determined to clone an endangered flower—the rare ghost orchid Polyrrhiza lindenii—a deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man named John Laroche leads Orlean on an unforgettable tour of America’s strange flower-selling subculture, through Florida’s swamps and beyond, along with the Seminoles who help him and the forces of justice who fight him. In the end, Orlean—and the reader—will have more respect for underdog determination and a powerful new definition of passion. In this new edition, coming fifteen years after its initial publication and twenty years after she first met the “orchid thief,” Orlean revisits this unforgettable world, and the route by which it was brought to the screen in the film Adaptation, in a new retrospective essay. Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more. Praise for The Orchid Thief “Stylishly written, whimsical yet sophisticated, quirkily detailed and full of empathy . . . The Orchid Thief shows [Orlean’s] gifts in full bloom.”—The New York Times Book Review “Fascinating . . . an engrossing journey [full] of theft, hatred, greed, jealousy, madness, and backstabbing.”—Los Angeles Times “Orlean’s snapshot-vivid, pitch-perfect prose . . . is fast becoming one of our national treasures.”—The Washington Post Book World “Orlean’s gifts [are] her ear for the self-skewing dialogue, her eye for the incongruous, convincing detail, and her Didion-like deftness in description.”—Boston Sunday Globe “A swashbuckling piece of reporting that celebrates some virtues that made America great.”—The Wall Street Journal

Download or read book An Enthusiasm for Orchids written by John Alcock and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The male thynnine wasp's extreme sexual enthusiasm is crucial to reproduction of hammer orchids in the wild. Hammer orchids have co-evolved to produce odors identical to those manufactured by female thynnine wasps. The male wasp's superb sensitivity to the scent of his female mate is the basis for the hammer orchid's deceit--in effect, orchids exploit the male insect's highly adaptive sense of smell for their own propagation. While pollinating orchids is a waste of time, and thus a maladaptive activity for a wasp, his mistake comes about because he must react quickly whenever he senses a possible mate nearby. Alcock suggests that, "for insects, he who hesitates is lost, although perhaps it would be better to say that he who hesitates often loses a chance to pass on his genes." This book abounds with clever explanations for how these exceptionally complex flowers came to be shaped as they are. The reader can explore many aspects of orchid biology and history ranging from how some species avoid inbreeding, to the origins of orchids from an ancestor that belonged to the asparagus family. Examining each component of an orchid's flower, Alcock explains how the various parts work together to produce the plant's minute offspring. Each element of an orchid, as quirky as it may seem, is biologically significant, bearing the imprint of natural selection. Readers can share in the delight that Darwin and all other orchid enthusiasts have felt in making sense of even the smallest of details of these most wonderful plants.

Download or read book A Passion for Orchids written by Jack Kramer and published by Prestel Publishing. This book was released on 2002 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This cultural history of the orchid includes 60 colour plates of antique orchid illustrations by such botanical illustrators as Martin J. Heade, Lucien Linden and Walter Hood Fitch. Each illustration is accompanied by a brief history of the artist.

Download or read book Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachian Mountains written by Stanley L. Bentley and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2014-03-19 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Orchids of Indiana written by Michael Allison Homoya and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Orchids enchant us as few other plants do, yet most people know surprisingly little about what may be the largest plant family on earth. A case in point: how many would have guessed that only three species of orchids occur naturally in Hawaii, while Indiana has forty-three? In this handsome and comprehensive volume, Michael Homoya gives us an inside look at Indiana's wild orchids, detailing their distinguishing characteristics, habitat preferences, and state and continental ranges. With over 100 color plates and scientific illustrations complementing the text and depicting each orchid as it occurs in Indiana's landscape, Orchids of Indiana will delight naturalists and orchid lovers everywhere.

Download or read book The Orchid Hunter written by Leif Bersweden and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2018-04-12 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He has just a few months to complete his quest – no one has ever done it before within one growing season – and it will require ingenuity, stamina and a large dose of luck.As he battles the vagaries of the British climate, feverishly chasing each emerging bloom, Leif Bersweden takes the reader on a remarkable botanical journey.This study of the 52 native species is a fantastic gateway into the compendious world of orchids – one that will open your eyes to the rare hidden delights to be found on our doorstep.Like Two Owls at Eton and My Family and Other Animals, The Orchid Hunter is a charming account of a precocious adolescent’s obsession with the natural world.Leif’s enthusiasm for his quest is infectious, as is the quiet conviction with which he keeps at it, showing how plant hunting can be the ultimate mindful activity.

Download or read book An Enthusiasm for Orchids written by John Alcock and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What constitutes an adaptation, how do complex adaptations come into being, and where do species with their special attributes come from? Alcock explores these questions, explaining why some biologists think they know what adaptations are and how they arise and what species are.--Résumé de l'éditeur.

Download or read book Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers written by Martha L. Crump and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2009-11-15 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vampire bats that regurgitate blood for roosting buddies. Mosquitoes that filch honeydew droplets from ants. Reptiles that enforce chastity on their lovers with copulatory plugs. Capuchin monkeys that use millipede secretions as mosquito repellent. The natural world is full of unusual relationships, and negotiation between life-forms striving to survive is evolution at its most diverse, entertaining, and awe-inspiring. Picking up where her highly popular Headless Males Make Great Lovers left off, tropical field biologist Marty Crump takes us on another voyage of discovery into the world of unusual natural histories, this time focusing on extraordinary interactions involving animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers& Other Unusual Relationships illuminates the ceaseless give-and-take between species. Occasionally, both interacting parties benefit, like when hornbills and dwarf mongooses hunt together for food. Other times, like when mites ride in hummingbirds’ nostrils to reach their next meal of nectar, one individual benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. But sometimes one individual benefits at the expense of the other; you need only recall your last sinus infection to understand how that works. Throughout, Crump brings her trademark spunk and zest to these stories of intimate exchange. She introduces readers to penguins that babysit, pseudoscorpions that ride and mate under the wings of giant harlequin beetles, and parasitic fungi that bend insects to their will. A lively companion to Crump’s earlier work, Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers& Other Unusual Relationships captures the bizarre and befuddling aspects of the behavior of animals, plants, and microbes. After this entertaining romp through the world of natural relationships, you’ll never look at an orchid the same way again.

Download or read book The New Encyclopedia of Orchids written by I. F. La Croix and published by Timber Press. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Infinitely Varied Orchid Family provides a never-ending source of unusual plants in a range of shapes, colors, fragrances, and sizes. As the demand for interesting and unusual species increases, so too does the need for a comprehensive reference on how to grow them. This encyclopedia, written by respected botanist Isobyl la Croix, offers detailed descriptions of 1500 cultivated species in 350 genera from Acampe to Zygostates. More than 1000 photographs will aid enthusiasts in choosing new plants for their collections as well as provide accurate ID.

Download or read book Orchid Modern written by Marc Hachadourian and published by Timber Press. This book was released on 2019-09-03 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “This beautiful book is useful for all of us, novice and experienced orchid lovers alike.” —Martha Stewart, author, entrepreneur, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Add the vibrant colors and exotic blooms of orchids to your houseplant haven! It’s easier than you think with the help of Orchid Modern. Marc Hachadourian, the curator of the orchid collection at the New York Botanical Garden, shares his secrets to successfully growing these sometimes finicky houseplants. Besides the basics, you’ll learn his top 120 orchid picks for green and not-so-green thumbs. Ten inspirational, step-by-step projects, including terrariums, a wreath, and a kokedama, provide the confidence to make orchids a thriving, vivid part of your home’s signature style.

Download or read book Understanding Orchids written by William Cullina and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2004 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Featuring more than 200 color photographs, "Understanding Orchids" provides readers with easy-to-follow instructions for the orchids they would like to grow.

Download or read book The Woodlands Orchids Described and Illustrated written by Frederick Boyle and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2019-12-12 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Woodlands Orchids, Described and Illustrated: With Stories of Orchid-Collecting, authored by Frederick Boyle, is a lush botanical journey that blends scientific exploration with captivating narratives. Boyle's book not only provides meticulous descriptions and stunning illustrations of orchids but also delves into the adventurous world of orchid collectors. From the far reaches of exotic lands to the dedicated pursuit of rare specimens, the book immerses readers in the passion and excitement of botanical discovery. Boyle's prose brings each flower to life, while the stories of orchid hunters add depth and human connection to the botanical realm. This book is a testament to the beauty and wonder that both nature and human curiosity can inspire."

Download or read book Orchids written by Mike Tibbs and published by Ball Publishing. This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The exquisite variety of forms and colors of orchids are made accessible to beginning growers in this fascinating introduction to the more than 25,000 species that make up this diverse plant family. The book covers commonsense advice on repotting, dividing, and growing orchids from seeds in a variety of settings including the greenhouse, the home, and the outdoors. Information is also included on major orchid families and their characteristics, how to choose a plant, how to avoid pests and diseases, and how to enter an orchid in competition.

Download or read book Orchids Handbook written by Michael Tibbs and published by Fox Chapel Publishing. This book was released on 2018-11-13 with total page 467 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everything you always wanted to know about growing and caring for orchids, with practical advice on care and cultivation, plus a comprehensive plant directory of 40 popular varieties.

Download or read book About Orchids A Chat written by Frederick Boyle and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2022-08-15 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "About Orchids: A Chat" by Frederick Boyle. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Download or read book Conservation Methods for Terrestrial Orchids written by Nigel Swarts and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by world leaders in the field, this first ever comprehensive reference on terrestrial orchids concisely explains the procedures necessary for their conservation and restoration. It includes beautiful color illustrations, methods and techniques in the utilization of modern technology and case studies to illustrate key principles and success stories. It covers topics such as monitoring, approaches used for mycorrhizal isolation and culture, seed sowing techniques, soil baiting, symbiotic culture of terrestrial species, translocation of propagated plants, pollination, genetic approaches for orchid biology and conservation, innovations in alginate encapsulation of seed and mycorrhizal fungus, and more. With terrestrial orchids now among the worlds most threatened plants, the need for conservation is paramount. It will equip orchid biologists, botanists, conservationists, students, and hobbyists with the necessary methodologies to facilitate the conservation of this endangered group of orchids. Although the focus is on terrestrial orchids, the techniques described in this book can also be applied equally to epiphytic (tree) orchids. Key Features -Clearly and concisely explains the procedures necessary for terrestrial orchid conservation and restoration -Offers methods and techniques complete in their detail, utilization of modern technology, simplicity, and ease of application across species from different parts of the world -Provides stand-alone guidance in each chapter and collectively enables practitioners to undertake what were previously considered complex scientific procedures -Includes relevant case studies to illustrate key principles and success stories in orchid conservation, written by world leaders in orchid conservation practice and science -Relates many of the techniques and procedures to epiphytic orchids to increase the appeal of the book to all orchid conservationists

Download or read book The Scent of Scandal written by Craig Pittman and published by Florida History and Culture. This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2012 Florida Book Awards, Silver Medal for Florida Non-Fiction "FANTASTIC. If I did not know most of the main players I would have thought the author had a vivid and twisted imagination."--Paul Martin Brown, author of Wild Orchids of Florida "A fascinating true story of obsession, greed, and lust for the unobtainable. Reminds me a great deal of The Maltese Falcon. This rare flower is definitely the stuff that dreams are made of."--Ace Atkins, author of Devil's Garden and Infamous "Pittman has captured the extreme competition, unique characters, and general insanity that often typify the orchid world. The Scent of Scandal exemplifies how passion and profit can overrule common sense and the law."--Scott Steward, former associate editor, North American Native Orchid Journal After its Peruvian discovery in 2002, Phragmipedium kovachii became the rarest and most sought-after orchid in the world. Prices soared to $10,000 on the black market. Then one showed up at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, where every year more than 100,000 people visit. They come for the lush landscape on Sarasota Bay and for Selby's vast orchid collection, one of the most magnificent in the world. The collision between Selby's scientists and the smugglers of Phrag. Kovachii, a rare ladyslipper orchid hailed as the most significant and beautiful new species discovered in a century, led to search warrants, a grand jury investigation, and criminal charges. It made headlines around the country, cost the gardens hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations, and led to tremendous internal turmoil. Investigative journalist Craig Pittman unravels this tangled web to shine a spotlight on flaws in the international treaties governing trade in endangered wildlife--which may protect individual plants and animals in shipping but do little to halt the destruction of whole colonies in the wild. The Scent of Scandal unspools like a riveting mystery novel, stranger than anything in Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief or the film Adaptation. Pittman shows how some people can become so obsessed--with beauty, with profit, with fame--that they will ignore everything, even the law.