Comprehensive accessible and lavishly illustrated this is an essential and timely guide to the worlds key plant and fungus species.Written by specialist experts Plants and Fungi is a botanical exploration of the worlds most fascinating plant and fungus species many of which are also highly valued for their ecological economic and cultural importance.Covering all of the main groups from the fleeting wildflowers that bring life to deserts to the towering giant trees of tropical rainforest giants and from the lichens of the Arctic to the cultivated seaweeds of South East Asia the book reveals the spectacular diversity of plants and fungi the ecosystems they support their symbiotic relationships and their use in everything from food to clothing and medicine.Entries explore how plant and fungus species grow and reproduce and how they have evolved to adapt to every continent on Earth even in the harshest of conditions and celebrate their beauty and diversity.