The bizarre and incredible world of plants / Wolfgang Stuppy, Rob Kesseler, Madeline Harley.

Richmond Hill, Ont. ; Buffalo, N.Y. : Firefly Books, 2009.

144 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm

Precious dust : The difference between pollen, spores and seed -- Those who copulate in secret -- No match for a seed -- An invisible microcosm -- Apertures -- Finding the other half -- Pollination by wind and water -- Pollination by animals -- Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder -- The insect pollination syndrome -- Bee flowers -- Butterfly and moth flowers -- Flies and beetles as pollinators -- The bird pollination syndrome -- The bat pollination syndrome -- Typical bat flowers -- Exotic pollinators -- The advantages of animal pollination -- Fruits and Seeds : The various ways to get around -- Wind dispersal -- Seeds like dust -- Masterpieces of Nature -- Indirect wind dispersal -- Water dispersal -- Rafters and sailors -- Sea beans -- The biggest seed in the world -- Explosive strategies -- Animal couriers -- Tenacious hitchhikers -- Caltrops, devil's claws and other sadistic fruits -- Reward rather than punishment -- Small rewards for little helpers -- Juicy temptations -- Colourful appendages -- Fraudsters of the Plant Kingdom -- The everlasting beauty of plants.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [141]) and index.