Mushrooms are mysterious, beautiful organisms that appear in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes – from microscopic to over a metre wide. They are abundant worldwide, and South Africa alone has an estimated minimum of 171 500 species. This new edition of Pocket Guide: Mushrooms of South Africa features a selection of the species more commonly found in the region, and will enable enthusiasts to identify these mushrooms in the field. Each entry includes: full-colour photographs; informative accounts with distinguishing characteristics highlighted; edibility at a glance. Easy to use and compact, this guide will prove invaluable to foragers and nature lovers. Sales points: over 125 mushroom species; clear, full-colour photographs; concise information on habitat, distribution, size and characteristic features; edibility at a glance; handy, pocket-sized introduction to mushrooms.

Neither plant nor animal, mushrooms constitute a unique group of organisms. They appear in a staggering variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and identifying them can be difficult. This compact, beautifully illustrated guide is the perfect tool for identification in the field. It features 200 of the most distinctive and conspicuous mushrooms and other fungi found in South Africa. Each species is presented with a clear description and several full-colour photographs to aid quick and accurate identification. Notes on distribution, ecology, size, edibility, toxicity and other interesting facts complete the entries. A brief introduction outlines the basic anatomy and biology of mushrooms and the vital role they play in sustaining all life. There are also guidelines to foraging and to photographing mushrooms, and a small selection of simple but delicious mushroom recipes. Packed with more than 850 photographs, this is both a practical guide and a beautiful book that will inspire nature lovers, foragers, epicureans and anyone curious about these extraordinary life forms. Sales points: The most comprehensive guide to mushrooms of the region to date: more than 200 species clearly and concisely described; richly supported with colour photographs; an essential guide for all nature lovers, foragers and foodies.

Pocket Guide: Wild Flowers of South Africa covers some 260 flowers representing all of the region’s major vegetation types: Accounts are conveniently organised by flower colour. Key ID features are supplied for each flower, as well as interesting facts. A photograph and distribution map accompany each species. Includes common and conspicuous plants as well as some alien species that are naturalized in the region. This book showcases some of the region’s diverse, strikingly beautiful floral splendours.

By means of a clear text and full-colour illustrations, this pocket guide examines our commonly seen insects, and details their life cycles, habits and habitats.

The fifth order of the natural kingdom is made up of an estimated 1.5 million species of fungi, found in every habitat type worldwide. The Book of Fungi takes 600 of the most remarkable fleshy fungi from around the world and reproduces each at its actual size, in full colour, and accompanied by a scientific explanation of its distribution, habitat, association, abundance, growth form, spore colour and edibility. Location maps give at-a-glance indications of each species known global distribution, and specially commissioned engravings show different fruitbody forms and provide the vital statistics of height and diameter. Theres a place, too, for readers to discover the more bizarre habits of fungi from the predator that hunts its prey with lassos to the one that entices sows by releasing the pheromones of a wild boar. Mushrooms, morels, puffballs, toadstools, truffles, chanterelles fungi from habitats spanning the poles and the tropics, from the highest mountains to our own gardens are all on display in this definitive work.

A field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa, describing over 2,000 plants and animals, with accurate illustrations in full colour. This book has been a trusted fi eld companion for many years. Comprehensively updated, it now features range maps for most groups. The chapters are colour-coded for easy reference, and diagnostic features appear in bold type within the descriptions. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field. All the main plant and animal groups are covered: Lower invertebrates, Spiders and other arachnids, Insects, Freshwater fishes, Frogs, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Grasses, sedges, ferns and fungi, Wild flowers, Trees

This fully revised and updated Berlitz Pocket Guide is packed with all the information you need to enjoy South Africa, in a genuinely pocketable format. Be inspired to visit this beautiful country by the brand new Berlitz Pocket Guide South Africa, a concise, full-colour guide that combines lively text with vivid photography that brings this country to life. Inside Berlitz Pocket Guide South Africa: � Where To Go details all the key areas in the area, from the Cape Town to Robben Island, while handy maps on the cover flaps help you find your way around, and are cross-referenced to the text. � Top 10 Attractions gives a run-down of the best sights, including Cape Peninsula and Wine Country. � Perfect Tour provides an itinerary for a perfect week on South Africa. � What To Do is a snapshot of ways to spend your spare time in South Africa, with detailed suggestions including shopping, entertainment and dining. � Essential information on South Africa's culture, including a section on the country's history. � Eating Out covers the South Africa's best cuisine. � Curated listings of the best hotels and restaurants. � A-Z of all the practical information you'll need. About Berlitz: Berlitz draws on years of travel and language expertise to bring you a wide range of travel and language products, including travel guides, maps, phrase books, language-learning courses, dictionaries and kids' language products.