Around the World in 80 Trees

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Whether by accident or design, Neolithic sailors are thought to have brought the species with them from the Iberian Peninsula some time between 10000 and 3000 BC. He starts with the London Plane, “a tree of pomp and circumstance”, first planted in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, in 1789. Its clusters of pretty cream flowers have a strong scent and plenty of nectar to attract hordes of pollinating insects.

In a previous life at the BBC, he was Executive Producer of more than fifty prime-time science documentaries and popular series. View image in fullscreen ‘The Creator exasperatedly flung the baobab upside down with its roots in the air’ … baobab trees near Rufisque, Senegal.

The strawberry tree is native to the western Mediterranean and the southwest of Ireland – but not Britain.

Travelling eastwards from his London home, he chooses 80 trees from the 60,000 or so species on the planet. By day, the distinctive monochrome pattern of snow-clad birch forests is dazzling and disorientating, but during long boreal nights, their moonlit, ghostly forms take on an eerie power. This is a wonderful tour of the Earth’s trees, revealing their unique characteristics and the vital roles they have played in human life and culture.The Blastophaga wasps that pollinate the common edible fig are female, stingless and just a couple of millimetres long. Including a stunning central gatefold that opens out to reveal all 80 trees and how they relate to each other, this book is a visual celebration of the huge variety of trees found across the world, from those you know to those you almost certainly don't.

Each tree is beautifully illustrated by Lucille Clerc using a subdued but rich palette of greens and browns, with occasional splashes of more vibrant colour. A hybrid of the American sycamore and the Oriental plane, they have set an example to urban planners around the world. Stiff materials make the best soundboards because they can transmit vibration efficiently from molecule to molecule; in a more elastic material, energy is squandered as the sound waves travel through it.

In Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori uses plant science to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable. As the book takes the reader on a journey around the world, it reveals trees that give us food and medicine, trees with ancient legends, record-breaking trees and more. Liquid urushiol causes extreme rashes, and even its vapour promotes itching that can linger for months. The book combines history, science and a wealth of quirky detail - there should be surprises for everyone. We pay respect by giving voice to social justice, acknowledging our shared history and valuing the cultures of First Nations.