The Genus Conophytum: A Conograph [Hardcover]

Steven Hammer (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 286 pages
• Publisher: Umdaus Press,South Africa; Standard ed edition (December 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0620176334
• ISBN-13: 978-0620176330
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,432,426 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary in its scope, quality of photos and scholarshi, February 14, 1999

By 

Breck Breckenridge (Spokane, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Genus Conophytum: A Conograph (Hardcover)

This botanical work is, quite simply, a classic. The author is the world's authority on his subject, genus Conophytum. Steve Hammer is a natural-born writer and his prose is clear and concise, while also being delightfully witty and informal. For me the most attractive aspect of the book isthe many, many color photographs by John Trager. They make anyone want to grow conophytums! Some plants are photographed to show their rainbow of colors; they are delicious looking.

Yet beyond the wit and color, this is a botanical monograph and will be for many years to come the standard reference on the genus. The book is laid out logically, with chapters devoted to each series within the two sections/subgenera. The early chapters talk about the group's taxonomic history, its cultivation and so forth.

All in all, I not only recommend this book; I urge you to peruse it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First and the Best, October 26, 2005

By 

J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Genus Conophytum: A Conograph (Hardcover)

For those interested in the genus Conophytum this book has to be an absolute must. Although the book is a full blown reference book Hammer's writing style is easy and there is no reason why anyone interested could not read it from cover to cover, rather than just use it a reference tool.

The photographs are superb and the plants almost leap off the page at you. The book is well produced and print and paper quality are excellent. Essential for a book that will be used on a regular basis.

It cannot be faulted and should be in the library of every enthusiast of these beautiful plants.