The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants [Paperback]

Department of the Army (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

In a situation where survival is at stake, plants can provide crucial food and medicine. Their safe usage requires absolutely positive identification, knowing how to prepare them for eating, and a solid awareness of any dangerous properties they might have. Familiarity with the botanical structures of plants and information on where they grow will make them easier to locate and identify.
THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO WILD EDIBLE PLANTS describes the physical characteristics, habitat and distribution, and edible parts of wild plants. With color photography throughout, this guide facilitates the identification of these plants.
Originally intended for Army use, this book serves as a survival aid for civilians as well. Anyone interested in the outdoors, botany, or even in unusual sources of nutrition will find this an indispensable resource.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In a situation where survival is at stake, plants can provide crucial food and medicine. Their safe usage requires absolutely positive identification, knowing how to prepare them for eating, and a solid awareness of any dangerous properties they might have. Familiarity with the botanical structures of plants and information on where they grow will make them much easier to locate and identify.
The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants describes the physical characteristics, habitat and distribution, and edible parts of wild plants. With color photography throughout, this guide facilitates the identification of these plants.
Originally intended for Army use, this book serves as a survival aid for civilians as well. Anyone interested in the outdoors, botany, or even in unusual sources of nutrition will find this an indispensable resource.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585746614
• ISBN-13: 978-1585746613
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants > Trees
  • #6 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Botany
  • #91 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative little book, June 20, 2008

By 

Ken "KLS" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants (Paperback)

Good little book that covers quite a lot. Gives good information on those plants in the wild that can be used for food. Along with this it gives excellent clear color close up pictures of the plants with a description of their botanical structures, habitats and distribution, edible parts and other uses such as making baskets, rope, medicines, etc. Also gives good photo descriptions of the most dangerous and poisonous plants and how to identify and recognize them.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not very good for a beginner, September 13, 2009

By 

Marcus "Marcus" (Boise, ID) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants (Paperback)

although this book describes many many plants, it is very vague which is not good for a beginner. the book is very nicely organized and can be a very nice quick reference. for someone who already knows what they are doing this could be a 5 star book. but for me, i need the details such as descriptions of the poisonous look-alikes. that one bit of information is just as important as the description of the plant itself. a better book for beginners would be "the foragers harvest". that book describes less plants but with MUCH more detail. i love that book. but i am glad that i also have this book so i can identify any plant that comes along but if i had to choose one book id go with "the foragers harvest".

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Half good, January 31, 2008

By 

T. R. Temple "Asperger Christian" (Jacksonville, FL, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants (Paperback)

While the book informs us about edible plants, it warns that there are similar plants that are poisonous -- and doesn't give any description for them! I'd have to be really, really hungry before I would risk using this book.