Of Men and Orchids – Part 1

The human history of orchids has long been a neglected topic when compared with the information available on the natural history of this fascinating group of plants. Nonetheless, orchidology, both on the scientific and the horticultural sides, has expressed several preeminent figures, whose contributions are often appreciated and broadly used with no cues about their creators. Rudolf Jenny‘s „...of men and orchids...“, is neither a book on how humans grow orchids nor a treatise of how they classify plants, but an extraordinary look at the bond that unites men - botanists, gardeners, plant hunters, explorers - to the names of orchids and the histories behind their discovery and scientific apprehension. The work is a great step into the realm of history, and orchids are the perfect excuse to expose the efforts, the courage and bravery, the ambition and jealousies, and the indomitable will of those men in the flesh who have made it possible to discover and name the amazing diversity of plants. Each of the 41 chapters that compose the volume tell the story of an orchid (or a few orchids) and a man, going through complete biographical sketches of the protagonists and discussing the sometimes complex taxonomy of the concerned orchid species. You will find very acknowledged names in plant history, but you will be also surprised at finding several less known names who compose the extraordinary story of orchidology.

$125 USD

Publication: 2018
Number of pages:  495 pages
Language: English