A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guide Series, 40) [Hardcover]

Steven Foster (Author), James A. Duke (Author)

Book Description

Series: Peterson Field Guide Series, 40 | Publication Date: June 1990

The first comprehensive pocket-size guide to medicinal plants shows how to identify 500 of these plants.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-- A comprehensive guide to understanding the medicinal value of plants, trees, and shrubs. The book includes a well-planned index, attractive plates and illustrations, cross-references, and interpretative symbols regarding the plants' uses. The text is well researched. Each entry gives the common and scientific name, a short description of the plant, its general location, and its utility in the field of medicine. A book for anyone interested in the outdoors and/or who has an affinity with nature, and for students who are doing research on plant life. --Jeanette M. Lippencott, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Steven Foster has written numerous books and magazine articles on the medicinal use of herbs. He is the coauthor of the Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America.

Lee Allen Peterson grew up in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and is the younger son of Roger Tory Peterson. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University, Lee wrote the Peterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants and spent years photographing plants and giving natural history lectures at colleges and nature centers. He and his wife, Courtney, live in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Roger Tory Peterson, one of the world's greatest naturalists, received every major award for ornithology, natural science, and conservation, as well as numerous honorary degrees, medals, and citations, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Peterson Identification System has been called the greatest invention since binoculars, and the Peterson Field Guides® are credited with helping to set the stage for the environmental movement. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (T) (June 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395353092
• ISBN-13: 978-0395353097
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,266,921 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding field guide with uses, drawings and photos, July 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guide Series) (Paperback)

This is one of the better field guides available for identifying and determining the usefulness of many medicinal plants found commonly in the Eastern and Central US. This guide is recommended for beginners and experienced medicinal plant enthusiasts alike. A must have book for the novice in this field.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Find!!, January 15, 2001

By 

Christina (ABQ, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guide Series) (Paperback)

This book was so fabulous, in fact, I give it more than five stars, I give it twenty! It is because of this book that I now want to be an ethnobotanical chemisist. This book has such pep and drive, just the Introduction and Preface make you want to go outside start a weed garden, picket the FDA, and go to college for seven years to get your degree in botanical chemistry. You don't believe me, but I'm serious. READ THIS BOOK! If not the whole book, at least the Introduction and Preface. It'll give you SO much energy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but NOT a Great Book, August 2, 2008

By 

W. Bowe "mrswsbowe" (NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peterson Field Guide(R) to Medicinal Plants (Peterson Field Guides) (Paperback)

Depending upon how seriously you are studying plants - this book is a bit too generic. The pictures are pretty but not enough detail. Mostly hand drawn and one plant looks just like another with no real info for determining differences. Bottom line, if you're not sure about a plant, leave it alone.

That said, this is an excellent book for the very beginner in herbal studies. Establish a solid library before delving into this world. You will be amazed at what cures are living in your own backyard!