Plants of Kananaskis Country in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

More than 900 species of plants have been identified in the Kananaskis
area. Among the more than 400 described in this solid scientific work
are wildflowers, trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, sedges, and rushes.
Although its intended readership includes conservationists, naturalists,
and tourists, the book is most appropriate for those who have some
background in botany.

The plants are arranged systematically and the user is directed to use
diagnostic keys for identification. Each entry is accompanied by a line
drawing but there are only 77 small photographs of plants that are
representative of their families. (A casual user would probably find the
book difficult to use.) The description of each plant is detailed enough
for identification and often indicates how the plant is distinguished
from other similar plants.

Often a “Notes” section follows the plant description. This
section—the most interesting feature of the book—provides such
information as the source of the name, a traditional use of the plant,
and where the plant has been seen in the Kananaskis area. For example,
the note for Sweet-Scented Bedstraw reads, “Blackfoot women dried
sweet-scented bedstraw flowers and used them as perfume.”

The book’s illustrated glossary and reference list are extensive, and
the index includes both scientific and common names. Recommended for
academic and research libraries with collections in alpine botany and
public libraries in the Rocky Mountain area.