Plants of the Oregon Coastal Dunes

This slim paperback has served as the standard reference for coastal plants for more than forty years. It offers simple keys for identification, supplemented by black and white photos of many species. After a general introduction to dune ecology, sand dynamics and plant succession, the authors describe almost 100 species of plants common to the Oregon coast. Species are grouped by family, starting with ferns and proceeding through composites. There is a list of references in the introductory section and a glossary in the back.

Since the book was written in 1999, its taxonomy and nomenclature are outdated. However, it can be a guide to locate the current botanical name and obtain additional plant information from Oregon Flora. This book does a good job of assisting plant enthusiasts to identify native plants.

Despite its age, this book is a good starter field guide to native plants of coastal dunes.

Authors: Alfred M. Wiedemann, La Rea J. Dennis, Frank H. Smith

ISBN-13: 9780870714573

Publisher: OSU Press

Publication date: 1999

Pages: 128

Adapted from a review by —Kathleen Sayce, NPSO Filipendula Chapter