Includes index.

A guide for children to the extraordinary world of plants, from the smallest seeds to the tallest trees. We couldn't live without plants. We need them for food, shelter, even the air we breathe, yet we know surprisingly little about them. Why do thistles bristle with spines? How do some plants trap and eat insects? Did you know there are trees more than 5000 years old? This title explores the mysterious world of plants to find the answers to these and many more questions. Each type of plant - such as a flowering plant, a tree, a grass, or cactus - is examined close-up, with an example shown from all angles and even in cross-section. Then picture-packed galleries show the wonderful variety of plants on different themes, perhaps the habitat they grow in, a flower family, or the plants that supply us with our staple foods. But the book also takes a fun, more sideways look at some truly weird and wonderful plants.