Enduring Seeds by Gary Paul Nabhan

Gary Paul Nabhan, one of the foremost ethnobotanists in the U.S., reveals the rich diversity of plants found in tropical forests and their contribution to modern crops, then explains how this diversity is being lost to agriculture and lumbering at an alarming rate. Nabhan then relates "local parables" of Native American agriculture—from wild rice in the Great Lakes region to wild gourds in Florida—that convey the urgency of this situation and demonstrate the need for saving the seeds of endangered plants. In this enjoyable and informative volume, Nabhan stresses the need for maintaining a wide gene pool, not only for the survival of these species but also for the preservation of genetic strains that can help scientists breed more resilient varieties of other plants.