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Pollination Power

From the wings of moths to the feet of hoverflies and the head feathers of nectar-seeking birds, the process of pollination is a natural marvel. How do the many annuals and perennials and shrubs and trees that populate the globe manage to lure the aid of bees and butterflies and other creatures at exactly the appropriate time? Pollination Power offers a unique, truly bird’s-eye view of the wonders of pollination at work.

In stunning full-color images, employing the latest photographic techniques, esteemed photographer Heather Angel has captures the intimate interactions of plants with their floral pollinators. The plants come not only from Angel’s Surrey backyard and the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, but from twenty countries where Angel has travelled—from the rich floral kingdoms of the Cape of South Africa to the diversity of China and the Americas. The photos illustrate the varied techniques that flowers use to communicate with their pollinators. Some, for example, change color when the flower no longer has rewards to offer. Others control precisely when pollinators enter or leave by timing when they open and close their petals or when they emit a scent. This fascinating array of pollination repertoires crossfertilizes Angel’s photos with a descriptive text.

Featuring both common and exotic plants and temperate and tropical floral, Pollination Power will entice anyone with a passion for botanicals, from gardeners to botanists alike.

208 pages | 204 color plates | 9-3/4 x 11 | © 2016

Biological Sciences: Botany, Evolutionary Biology, Natural History

Gardening

Reviews

"Photographer Angel has traveled the world to document how plants attract pollinators. Her mesmerizing images showcase magenta hibiscus trumpets in Hawaii, stubbly Arabian starflower stamens and pollen-covered bees in Tajikistan, as well as beetles, butterflies and birds swooping in to feed. Angel's words highlight the various ways flowers communicate with such creatures. For instance, some plants change color to signal that their pollen is ready, and others open and close petals with precise timing to allow and deny entry. The photographs and text are all tied together in a gorgeous large-format book."

Scientific American

"A wonderfully lavish new book....Angel not only studied her own garden, she visited 20 countries in her quest to photograph pollinators. Her photographs, which use photo stacking and ultra violet flash, capture the moment when bats, birds, moths, and butterflies connect. It's an exceptional book."

Limited Edition

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