Over 715 different plants in more than 350 genera in 111 families are described in the third and newest edition of Baja California Plant Field Guide. Authored by the 2011 San Diego Horticulturist of the Year, Dr. Jon P. Rebman, the book offers tribute to the late Norman C. Roberts, author of the first two editions.
As the definitive work on the plants of Baja California, this title is of great interest not only to botanists in the peninsula, but also to plant enthusiasts in southern California, as 50% of the species listed are also found in southern California and the Sonora desert.
The book has been awarded the following prestigious literary awards:
The impact of this book extends beyond its pages. The Museum receives 60% of the proceeds of the sale of each book, of which half goes into a fund for Dr. Rebman to use specifically for research expeditions in Baja California. This fund allows Dr. Rebman the freedom to explore areas of Baja California when the season is best for specimen collection.
In Baja California, “Development is a huge threat to the landscape, not unlike what’s happening in southern California [in the U.S.],” Dr. Rebman said. Therefore, there is a sense of urgency among botanists to document the flora of these areas before it is gone.
Dr. Jon P. Rebman, who holds the Mary and Dallas Clark Endowed Chair and has been the curator of botany at the San Diego Natural History Museum since 1996, said of his work, “The desert regions of Baja California and southern California satisfy my need for scientific adventure while providing a sense of excitement towards botany, reverence for nature and its unaltered beauty, appreciation for the complexity of natural history, and an overall feeling of peace and purpose.”
Posted by The Nat.
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