Comprehensive, accessible, and lavishly illustrated, this is an essential and timely guide to the world''s key plant and fungus species.Written by specialist experts, Plants & Fungi is an illustrated exploration of the world''s most fascinating species, many of which are also highly valued for their ecological, economic, and cultural importance.Covering all of the main groups - from the fleeting wildflowers that bring life to deserts to the towering rainforest giants, and from the lichens of the Arctic to predatory species that feed on animals - the book reveals the spectacular diversity of plants and fungi, the ecosystems they support, their symbiotic relationships with animals, and each other, and their use in everything from food to clothing and medicine.The book explores how plants and fungi grow and reproduce, and the ways they have evolved to adapt to every continent on Earth – even in the harshest of conditions – while celebrating their beauty and diversity, and telling the story of the world''s more unusual and intriguing species