In the Nature Watch series, an informative book that introduces readers to plants of the composite family, whose most familiar members are sunflowers. In fact, of the 25,000 species in the family--which includes daisies, asters, thistles, dandelions, and lettuce--only 18 are sunflowers. Winner (Salamanders, 1993, not reviewed, etc.) tells how the plants make seeds, how they are dispersed to make more plants, and about the various habitats where the composite species grow and reproduce. Crisp full-color photographs move in for close ups, offering readers a glimpse of head clusters, disks, bracts, involucre, achene, taproots, etc. Detailed diagrams and illustrations explain the fertilization and life-cycle processes. While the information is somewhat technical for beginners, this is a beautiful book for budding gardeners and nature enthusiasts who already have some background on the subject. (full-color photos, diagrams, illustrations, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10)
