and science offers a

breathtaking look at the

way that contemporary

scientific discoveries are

changing our

understanding of plants

and plant evolution. 136

botanical paintings from

the Shirley Sherwood

Collection, by 84 artists, cover 50 orders of plants in

118 families, and a total of 133 species, providing a

sweeping overview of the evolution of plants on

earth. The paintings display a sampling of the living

world from fungi to daisies, including algae, mosses,

ferns, conifers and flowering plants, arranged in the

most up to date evolutionary sequence, determined

by recent DNA analysis.

The text places each artist’s observations in the

context of modern plant classification, providing

readers with a new understanding of the complex

interrelationships between plant species, and enhancing their appreciation of the botanical artist’s

ability to portray the delicate beauty of nature.