Fruit Key and Twig Key to Trees and Shrubs [Paperback]

William M. Harlow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1959

One of the handiest and most widely used identification aids. Fruit key covers 120 deciduous and evergreen species; twig key covers 160 deciduous species. Easily used. Over 300 photographs. "Students in the field . . . can get accurate identifications faster with these guides than with any of the many teacher's mimeographed ones." — Phytologia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 126 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; First Edition. first thus edition (June 1, 1959)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486205118
• ISBN-13: 978-0486205113
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Nature & Ecology > General
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Outdoors & Nature > Reference
  • #41 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants > Trees

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a technical field guide, May 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fruit Key and Twig Key to Trees and Shrubs (Paperback)

This is the guide I take with me on walks in the winter, when all the leaves are off the oak forest here in southeast Massachusetts. To be honest, I haven't had an opportunity to use the fruit key yet. Remember that this book is ONLY a key, so you'll need other references to learn. I've found the key to be technical and a bit unwieldy on occasion, but by the same token, it's opened a new level of detail to my observation: an eye loupe comes along for those walks...

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you can only have one winter key, this is it, January 30, 2006

By 

Mark Suhovecky (NW Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fruit Key and Twig Key to Trees and Shrubs (Paperback)

This is one of three winter keys I use on a regular basis. I work at a botanical garden, but I'm not a botanist. I find it easy to use, and fairly comprehensive.

It uses B/W photos instead of line drawings- this works great for the fruit key. For the twig key, drawings might have been clearer, but it's still very good.

The first ten pages cover the terminology used in the rest of the book, and are a good introduction.

There are seperate indexes for common & scientific name. One caveat: each of the two sections (twig, fruit) has its own set of indexes.

When I brought this key to work, both my boss (a horticulturalist) and our head gardener ( a botanist ) produced well-worn copies of their own, so it's been around awhile, and has stood the test of time.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What to do till spring comes, March 23, 2003

By 

e appelman (Montreal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fruit Key and Twig Key to Trees and Shrubs (Paperback)

If you're a tyro or a practiced botanist, you'll find this helpful. Take it along on walks in the dreary seasons, and you'll find a wealth of fascinating things to keep you busy bushwatching. Easy to use and not too technical.