This is a comprehensive guide to the flora of one of the richest botanical regions of North America. The Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada is the longest continuous mountain range in the United States. It contains over 50 percent of California's total flora, approximately 405 plant taxa endemic to the Sierra, and 218 taxa that are considered rare. Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada offers a comprehensive inventory of the flora of the entire range, along with descriptions of the plants; their traditional and contemporary uses as food or medicine; and information about their habitat. In addition, the authors discuss the natural history and ecology of the Sierra Nevada in terms of plant communities and life zones, addressing the impact of such variables as climate, elevation, soil, and precipitation. The plant descriptions are accompanied by line drawings of each major species, and the text includes information about classifying and collecting plant specimens and about protecting rare species. "Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada" is an essential reference guide for botanists, hikers, and readers interested in the traditional uses of native plants. Available now for the first time in paperback, this is the first complete summary of one of the richest and most diverse botanical regions of North America.