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Post by Syble on Mar 17, 2006 15:24:11 GMT -5
Pitcher Plants of Sarawak - Charles Clark and Ch'ien Lee This is the newest addition to my reference library and I must admit a pleasant surprise! It’s a small book (aptly named a pocket guide), and full of fantastic photos! The introduction focuses on Sarawak and then goes on to Nepenthes and then to their distribution and habitat. This guide covers: N. albomarginata N. ampullaria N. bicalcarata N. campanulata N. ephippiata N. faizaliana N. fusca N. glandulifera N. gracillis N. hirsute N. hispida N. hurrelliana N. lowii N. mirabilis N. muluensis N. murudensis N. northiana N. pilosa N. platychila N. rafflesiana N. reinwardtiana N. stenophylla N. tentaculata N. veitchii N. vogelii There are also some naturally occurring common hybrids outlined in the footnotes of the species, often with pictures. I cannot stress how beautiful I find these pictures, often upper and lower pitchers, and all in their natural habitat. The information is not necessarily geared towards cultivation, but there are tidbits throughout. It is more to differentiate between different species and hybrids and distribution as well as sizes, variation, location, unique traits. Strongly recommended for the Nepenthes enthusiast as well as those who are interested in natural habitats. Sib
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Post by Flytrap on Mar 19, 2006 13:54:36 GMT -5
Sib-
looks like a mighty fine book to acquire. I did a search and found it available on-line at a number of locales...Chapters nor Amazon didn't carry the book...but some of the commercial CP people do. any recommendations for which book retailer? Thanks.
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Post by Syble on Mar 19, 2006 14:10:56 GMT -5
I got mine from austrailia via ebay....not neccisarily the best recommendation as they are all different sellers, but that worked out for me Sib
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Post by martin on Apr 12, 2006 19:22:18 GMT -5
I have the 2 full-lenghts books by Charles Clarke: "Nepenthes of Borneo" and "Nepenthes of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia". They are more expensive than the guides, but worth every penny!
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Post by Syble on Apr 13, 2006 15:54:15 GMT -5
I've now got 3 or 4 of his books, like them all, will likely be getting the 2 you mention later in the year. I get them direct now! Sib
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Post by Flytrap on Sept 29, 2006 14:34:54 GMT -5
I now have all of Clark's books. And have just finished reading his nice comprehensive book, the "Nepenthes of Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra". It is written for both the hobbyist and the propeller head...with all the latin and scientific background. The nice thing about this book is that it includes info on cultivation, unlike his earlier book "the Nepenthes of Borneo". This thick book also show maps (as appendices) of where certain species are located (general locales noted as dots on an overall geographic map). Clark also indicates that he puposely left off locales of some of the more rarer (read endangered) species for fear of creeps and other perverts ripping them out of it's natural habitat.
There are a number of typos throughout his books... much more so on this one than his earlier work. Same for his "guidebook" series, "Pitcher plants of Sarawak" and "Pitcher plants of Malaysia". I guess his editor wasn't doing that good of a job.
The guidebooks remind me of the mass marketed "Golden" books series available at the local supermarket when I was a kid. They are very thin with nice glossy coloured covers and rich colour photos throughout. I think the publishers hope these consumer oriented booklet guides become the affordable "souvenir" type items for visitors of the many nature parks in that part of the world. These guidebooks even contain a chapter on where to see these plants in the various nature reserves. Great conversation pieces (I imagine) for your average visitor to a first time encounter with a wild pitcher plant. This is a a very good thing. By making information of this sort affordable to the masses, I feel that many more people will learn and appreciate this genus of plants. So good on Clark and his publisher!
The photos on all his books are spectacular and really gives one a good idea of habitat conditions...and as such, photos used in one book are also used in his others. One other thing about his guidebook series is that they are written for the curious nature lover, not for your serious CP'ophile like many of us.
None the less, the photos and descriptions are wonderful and I rate his two text books 4.5 stars out of 5, and his two guidebooks, 4 stars out of 5.
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