50 Keystone Flora Species of the Pacific Northwest

A compact, user-friendly guide to ecologically significant plant species of the Northwest Coast

A keystone species is an organism that defines and supports an entire ecosystem, filling a vital ecological niche. Without these species, ecosystems would be radically altered or even collapse. This full-color, pocket-sized field guide by best-selling naturalist Collin Varner highlights fifty keystone trees, flowering plants, fruit-bearing plants, marine plants, and fungi found across the Pacific Northwest bioregion. Species profiled include Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, large-leafed lupine, wild mint, Salal, salmonberry, marine eelgrass, and red-belted polypore. Each entry features clear photography, etymology, descriptions, habitat information, and risks and warnings. This convenient and easy-to-use reference is perfect for walkers, hikers, campers, and beachcombers and important for raising awareness of the need to conserve and protect these vital species.

Collin Varner is a horticulturalist/arboriculturalist. Over his forty-year career, he worked at the University of British Columbia’s Botanical Garden, assumed responsibility for conserving twenty-five thousand trees across campus, and taught courses in native plant studies. Now retired, Varner is an avid photographer, world traveler, and best-selling author of The Flora and Fauna of the Pacific Northwest, Edible and Medicinal Flora of the West Coast, and Invasive Flora of the West Coast.