The result of eight years' study by a noted orchid expert, this handbook is a masterly distillation of information about the orchid world. Coloured photographs capture the orchids in detail, set them in their habitats, highlights their often spectacular forms. Line drawings show minute features and indicate scale, giving each flower a context based on size and characteristics. Maps pinpoint the location of each of the more than 100 species. This practical guide to the identification of North American species is not only a useful and reliable addition to any enthusiast's library -- it is also splendidly beautiful. Although many of our orchids are modest little plants, hard to find and sometimes difficult to appreciate because of their small size, they are captured here in close-ups that bring them magnificently into focus.