Weeds in my garden: observations on some misunderstood plants By Charles B. Heiser ISBN 0881925624, published in 2003 by Timber Press Inc., hardcover, colour plates, 247 pages Price $A39.95 plus $A11 postage within Australia, overseas postage please request a quote

This book treats about 140 weeds, arranged by family. Heiser discusses each weed according to The Name (scientific and common), The Time and Place (of flowering and from where the plant originally came from), The Description, and The Virtues (fascinating weedy tales in a witty, conversational style). Not intended to be a manual of weed identification - although the descriptions, drawings and photographs will help readers - or weed eradication, this book is for anyone interested in weeds as plants. A veritable history of weeds, it will encourage the readers to look anew at these previously unwelcome guests.

About the author

Charles B. Heiser is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Botany at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. Since 1974 he has observed weeds in 'his garden', the Botany Experimental Field at the university. He has served as president of the Botanical Society of America, Society for the Study of Evolution, Society for Economic Botany, and American Society of Plant Taxonomists, and he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is the author of Nightshades, The Sunflower, The Gourd Book , Of Plants and People, and Seed to Civilization.

Table of contents

• Preface
• A weed by any other name
• The weeds (pages 25-216)
• Epilogue
• Conversion table
• References
• Index