Ranging from huge cacti and broadleaf trees to tiny arctic flowers, flowering plants are the most vital component of global biodiversity. They provide the crops that feed us, medicines, oils, fibres, herbs, spices, dyes, beverages, timber and habitats for countless animals. This updated and revised successor to a classic book, Flowering Plants of the World is an authoritative, fascinating introduction to the Earth's most colourful flora comprising comprehensive accounts of more than 500 flowering plant families. Each entry describes distribution, diagnostic features, classification, structures, uses and ecology of flowering plants. Over 1,000 visually stunning and precisely scaled illustrations display the major characteristics of key plants and detailed maps show worldwide distribution. Written by a team of acknowledged experts, this is the definitive survey of flowering plants worldwide and brings to the forefront the latest views on their classification. An extensive and meticulously illustrated glossary describes the specialist terms used in the text, and a comprehensive index includes plant names in both Latin and English. Both as a book of breathtaking beauty and a discourse on the science of flowering plants, this essential reference is sure to become a horticultural and botanical classic and part of every gardening enthusiast's and plant scientist's library.