In The Wild Orchids of Arizona and New Mexico, Ronald A. Coleman treats all the species of wild orchids currently found in or historically known to have occurred in Arizona and New Mexico. The southwestern region of the United States is a great floral crossroads, with species of wildflowers associated with the north and south converging in the diverse flora described in this book. Of the 35 orchids native to the region, 29 are at the limits of their range. Some are relatively rare but , with skill and care, can be located during one of the two blooming seasons in the Southwest. One starts in March and continues through September, the other is timed to a seasonal wind shift that brings moist air north from Mexico. Because of the monsoon rains, several orchids more typical of Mexico find suitable habitat in the Southwestern United States. The Wild Orchids of Arizona and New Mexico*illustrates each wild orchid with a line drawing and multiple color photographs*discusses flowering season, habitat, elevation range, and companion plants*maps current and historical distributions of each species*contains genus and species keys for plant identification*covers conservation issues and threats to each species.
