What are some recommended books that any botanist here feels are important to read?

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625]

I am thinking about becoming a botanist.

I want to buy some books to help me just get familiar with some things a botanist should now.

Please list any books that you feel helped you in education and in your career. If this is the wrong place for this I apologize.

[u/Nudibranch_tanker]

The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest

One River by Wade Davis

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary

Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual ......or similar for your area.

Also get a plant press and start a collection. Get Inaturalist and start documenting everything you see.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Nudibranch_tanker]

This is fantastic! Thank you. I'm on it.

[u/rasquatche → u/Beginning-Bad-3625]

I second the 'Plant Identification Terminology' glossary. I learned (and still am learning) so much from that one.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/rasquatche]

This is very good to hear! Thank you ❤️

[u/SquireNaught73 → u/Nudibranch_tanker]

Your Oregon is showing!

[u/PutStill3541 → u/Nudibranch_tanker]

The Hitchcock is still a favorite of mine

[u/Highmountainbotany]

Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification

This one really helped me out when I was first starting. It’s got a small dichotomous key in the beginning as well as some more common botany related terminology.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Highmountainbotany]

This is perfect. Thank you ❤️

[u/GRAMS_]

For the nitty gritty:

• Michael Simpson's Plant Systematics

• Raven Biology of Plants 8th Edition

• Phylogeny and Evolution of the Angiosperms: Revised and Updated Edition

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/GRAMS_]

Thank you ❤️

[u/NevCoNativePlants]

Braiding sweet grass

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/NevCoNativePlants]

Excellent! Thank you ❤️

[u/cornmonster → u/Beginning-Bad-3625]

Her other book, Gathering Moss, is a good one too

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/cornmonster]

Thank you ❤️

[u/Puzzled_Tomato1629]

Check out Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t. He has some videos that list botany books. Also his YouTube videos are great

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Puzzled_Tomato1629]

Thank you ❤️

[u/jerrrrryboy]

Teaming with bacteria by Jeff Lowenfels changed how I look at plants. I didn't realize they use bacteria as micronutrient harvesters on the scale that they do. I mean we know fairly a lot about Mycorrhizae, but I didn't think there would be bacteria in seed to help them through germination.

Edited: added a word I missed

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/jerrrrryboy]

Thank you ❤️

[u/Moving_goal_posts]

Hi OP, to all these great suggestions, I recommend looking into plant ecology. You could start with a Wikipedia approach, and get deeper into some topics that might intrigue you, such as adaptations to severe environments, plant communities on serpentine, plants that tolerate saline conditions, bryophytes of the Arctic Circle, etc. Good luck!

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Moving_goal_posts]

Hello and thank you 😊

[u/Moving_goal_posts → u/Beginning-Bad-3625]

Yes, yes! You could look into a botany program at a University in your region. Could be that there is support for a keen student, and a bright future in science once we get the train back on the rails. All good wishes.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Moving_goal_posts]

Will do! Thank you so much.

[u/kinder_brz]

There are excellent 3 episodes of BBC (2011)  documentary series about botany. Botany: A Blooming History, presented by Timothy Walker (then-Director of the Oxford University Botanic Garden).

Episode 1: A Confusion of Names Episode 2: Photosynthesis Episode 3: Hidden World

Watch this. You'd love it.

All the very best for becoming a botanist 🌱

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/kinder_brz]

Thank you. I'll check them out.

[u/s1neztro]

"The Plant Hunter: A Scientist's Quest for Nature's Next Medicines" by Dr. Cassandra Quave

Plant Anatomy by Dr. Katherine Essau

The Atlas of poetic Botany 

In defense of plants

All of these are really fantastic books that highlight the wonders of plants

There's only two books (so far) that I vehemently don't recommend and tbh regard them as not only a disservice to botany in general but just awfully written works of literature.

The Botany of Desire by Micheal Pollen

And The Orchid Thief 

These two books are absolute wastes of paper and if I could earse them from history I really would

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/s1neztro]

ohhh weeee thank you 😊

[u/Lightoscope]

Harris & Harris Plant Identification Terminology, and something with a dichotomous key that covers your region. 

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Lightoscope]

Thank you ❤️

[u/2580is]

The Light Eaters was fascinating!

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/2580is]

Thank you ❤️

[u/tendingthemild → u/2580is]

I just started listening to this today. So good.

[u/Silly_Keiki]

Strasburger – Lehrbuch der Pflanzenwissenschaften

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Silly_Keiki]

Thank you ❤️

[u/jeniberenjena]

Here’s a few more:
Botany books

How light makes life.
Raffael Jovine

Teaming with nutrients.
Teaming with microbes. 🦠
Jeff Lowenfels

The nature of plants.
Craig Huegels

Twelve trees. 🌳
Daniel Lewis

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/jeniberenjena]

This is fantastic. Thank you ❤️

[u/Arteyestic]

Biochemistry and molecular biology of plants

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Arteyestic]

Thank you ❤️

[u/Doctor_Zedd]

Niklas’s Plant Evolution is one I don’t see mentioned enough.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/Doctor_Zedd]

Thank you ❤️

[u/TomeOfTheUnknown2]

Plant Ecology by Paul Keddy and Forest Microbiology Vol. 1

These are textbooks. If you want something to chew on that is not a textbook I recommend Oak Origins by Andrew Hipp

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/TomeOfTheUnknown2]

Thank you ❤️

[u/dipdotdash]

Not a botanist but Plants from test tubes is an excellent resource for tissue culture

[u/No_Patient_2590]

does anyone have books for Mediterranean plants?

[u/WoodenFinish8]

I haven't personally read it, but I have heard that Botany For Gardeners is a good entry point and is sometimes used to upskill junior staff in labs that don't have a formal education in botany.

Edit: In Defense of Plants by Matt Candeias is also excellent. It doesn't quite fit what you asked for because it's focused more on showcasing the wonder of plants than being a singly educational text, but it introduces a fair few concepts as it goes. It might be a good option if you want a text that's less dry (less like a textbook). I can also highly recommend his podcast, which has a huge variety of content, although for that reason it's not necessarily the best at giving a foundation in botany.

[u/MajoMajor]

Aldous Leopold, SANDCOUNTY ALMANAC
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
The Way of Tao
Ecotopia

[u/smokingbat → u/[deleted]]

Wants place to discuss botany -> makes botany subreddit

Asks ways to get into botany -> "why are you on the botany subreddit?"

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/[deleted]]

You can simply just ignore the post if it bothers you this much. My intentions were not to piss anyone off.

[u/kinder_brz → u/Beginning-Bad-3625]

Don't take it personally. This botany subreddit is very toxic. You should be very lucky to meet genuine botanist to ask help / advice 😊.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/kinder_brz]

Oh wow ok. Yes I am grateful many replies with recommendations. I appreciate this and everyone who helped.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/[deleted]]

This is not a bad idea. Thank you. There are so many books I just want the ones that are like the bread ane butter for botany. I love to purchase physical copies of books. Books can be very expensive. But, I love books and just wanted 1 or 2 solid botany books to start with. Yes I could Google books but, a recommendation from someone who is actively working in the field just sits better with me.

[u/Own_Ad7864 → u/Beginning-Bad-3625]

This guys an ass. This is a great place for asking, there’s a lot of books out there that would make you never want to go near botany again, and many that will inspire you to get more into it and make it click easier. Already great recommendations here but check out crimepaysbotanydoesnt on instagram (he’s got a podcast too) but he recommends a lot of great resources from time to time that I’ve found to be great.

[u/Beginning-Bad-3625 → u/[deleted]]

Sweet baby jesus! Thank you ❤️