This introductory text assumes little prior scientific knowledge on the part of the student. It includes sufficient information for some shorter introductory botany courses open to both majors and nonmajors, and is arranged so that certain sections can be omitted without disrupting the overall continuity of the course. Stern emphasizes current interests while presenting basic botanical principles.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: What Is Plant Biology? Chapter 2: The Nature of Life? Chapter 3: Cells Chapter 4: Tissues Chapter 5: Roots and Soils Chapter 6: Stems Chapter 7: Leaves Chapter 8: Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds Chapter 9: Water in Plants Chapter 10: Plant Metabolism Chapter 11: Growth Chapter 12: Meiosis and Alternation of Generation Chapter 13: Genetics Chapter 14: Plant Breeding and Propagation Chapter 15: Evolution Chapter 16: Plant Names and Classification Chapter 17: Domain (Kingdom) Bacteria, Domain (Kingdom) Archaea, and Viruses Chapter 18: Kingdom Protista Chapter 19: Kingdom Fungi Chapter 20: Introduction to the Plant Kingdom: Bryophytes Chapter 21: The Seedless Vascular Plants: Ferns and Their Relatives Chapter 22: Introduction to Seed Plants: Gymnosperms Chapter 23: Seed Plants: Angiosperms Chapter 24: Flowering Plants and Civilization Chapter 25: Ecology Chapter 26: Biomes