Trees of Texas: An Easy Guide to Leaf Identification

by Carmine A. Stahl, Ria McElvaney

Texas is long overdue for a new, accessible, innovative tree book. This guide to the identification of just over two hundred of Texas’ most common native and naturalized trees brims over with life-sized, black-and-white photographs of leaves, fruit, flowers, and bark. Scanned directly from actual specimens, these images accompany species descriptions that include height, growth rate, commercial or wildlife value, family, and vegetation region of the trees, alongside captivating folklore and interesting cultural and historical annotations.To aid in identification, the authors have organized the book by leaf shape and provide a simple but clear, illustrated key to help the reader match the leaf he or she is looking at to the pertinent description. For the more knowledgeable reader who may not need help with actual identification, scientific and common names appear in the index. Appendixes list trees by family, by scientific and common names, by region, and as introduced species. Just for fun, the authors have added appendixes for wild edible recipes, light and water requirements, and butterfly host trees. A brief introduction and a glossary are also included in the manuscript.McElvaney and Stahl’s The Trees of Texas is innovatively organized and friendly to the novice, using life-sized illustrations as a visual guide to common native and naturalized trees. Perfect for people who want to learn to identify trees without wading through confusing technical terms, it makes a handy reference for libraries, schools, and nature centers. It is also suited for people with interests as diverse as the historical uses of plants, native plant gardening, attracting wildlife, and Texas history.

Genres: Nature, Reference

338 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Michael Shurtleff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently relocated to San Antonio with my family. Having spent my entire life until now in Utah, I feel like a fish out of water when it comes to the various plants. This guide is very well-done. The entries are well-written in plain English. The glossary for the technical terms that do get used is also very easy for the average reader to understand. (I'm not saying that it's dumbed down, only that they consider their audience.) The accompanying pictures can be easily compared to samples, so there's less chance of mistaken identity. I also discovered that three different growth zones converge in Bexar County (where San Antonio is located.) I'm not a trained botanist, so I don't know how complete the information is; but as an amateur's go-to​, it's perfect!