
The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Plants
Nan Crystal Arens(Author)
Princeton University Press
Published on 25. November 2025
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-0-691-27243-6 (ISBN)
Description
A dazzlingly illustrated guide to the plant life of the dinosaur age, from intricate ferns to the most majestic megaflora
The Mesozoic was dominated by a spectacular array of flora, from ferns, conifers, and cycads to ginkgos and flowering plants, as well as some enigmatic species with no modern-day descendants. This wide-ranging illustrated guide provides an unparalleled, in-depth look at the era's extraordinary plant life, exploring its natural history, biology, and evolution over a span of 185 million years. Blending the latest discoveries in paleontology with informative profiles of extinct species and their living descendants, The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Plants is a one-of-a-kind reference to the botanical wonders of the prehistoric world.
Features hundreds of breathtaking illustrations, from life studies and scenic landscapes to detailed sketches of representative species
Introduces the history of plant paleontology and the dating, geography, and extinction of Mesozoic flora
Profiles hundreds of Mesozoic species, tracing the evolutionary relationships of fossil plants with living ones
Discusses photosynthesis, reproduction, growth, climate, plant communication, partnerships with fungi and animals, and conservation
Reveals how Mesozoic plants evolved in response to predation and changing environmental conditions
Journeys through the forests of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods
A must-have guide for anyone interested in the lost world of the dinosaurs
The Mesozoic was dominated by a spectacular array of flora, from ferns, conifers, and cycads to ginkgos and flowering plants, as well as some enigmatic species with no modern-day descendants. This wide-ranging illustrated guide provides an unparalleled, in-depth look at the era's extraordinary plant life, exploring its natural history, biology, and evolution over a span of 185 million years. Blending the latest discoveries in paleontology with informative profiles of extinct species and their living descendants, The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Plants is a one-of-a-kind reference to the botanical wonders of the prehistoric world.
Features hundreds of breathtaking illustrations, from life studies and scenic landscapes to detailed sketches of representative species
Introduces the history of plant paleontology and the dating, geography, and extinction of Mesozoic flora
Profiles hundreds of Mesozoic species, tracing the evolutionary relationships of fossil plants with living ones
Discusses photosynthesis, reproduction, growth, climate, plant communication, partnerships with fungi and animals, and conservation
Reveals how Mesozoic plants evolved in response to predation and changing environmental conditions
Journeys through the forests of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods
A must-have guide for anyone interested in the lost world of the dinosaurs
Reviews / Votes
"Each page of this remarkable book delivers information and knowledge, wonder and excitement."---David Gascoigne, Travels with BirdsMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New Jersey
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 283 mm
Width: 219 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
1168 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-691-27243-6 (9780691272436)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Nan Crystal Arens
The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Plants
E-Book
11/2025
1st Edition
Princeton University Press
€33.99
Available for download
Persons
Nan Crystal Arens is professor of geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and former associate editor of the American Fern Journal. She is a trustee of the Paleontological Research Institution.