Since 1987, when Texas Parks and Wildlife Department botanists published their first in-house summary of Texas’ threatened plants, more than 225 species have been identified and described as endangered, imperiled, or declining. Because most of these plants are too rare to be mentioned, much less pictured, in standard field guides, only a handful of botanists have known what these plants or their habitats look like.

Complete with photographs, line drawings, and county maps, this book describes the officially listed, candidate, and species-of-concern plants in Texas. Individual accounts include information on distribution, habitat, physical description, flowering time, federal and state status, similar species, and published references. The authors also provide brief introductory chapters on the state’s vegetation regions; the history of plant conservation in Texas; federal, state, and other ranking methods; threats to native plants; recovery methods; and reporting guidelines.

With the growing recognition that native plants support wildlife, conserve water, promote biodiversity, and exemplify our natural heritage, we must also recognize the need for greater understanding of endangered plants, the threats to their existence, and the importance of their survival. Rare Plants of Texas is highly recommended for professional botanists and advanced researchers, conservationists, students, range managers, and others concerned with preserving the ecosystems of Texas and the Southwest.

JACKIE M. POOLE is a botanist in the Wildlife Diversity Program of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. She has been working with the rare plants of Texas since 1982.WILLIAM R. CARR, a botanist with The Nature Conservancy of Texas, conducts numerous field surveys and inventories for the conservation of threatened habitat.DANA M. PRICE is a botanist at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with experience in prairie ecology and economic botany.JASON R. SINGHURST, a botanist and phytogeographer at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, manages GIS and remote sensing land cover classification projects and conducts status surveys of rare plants in Texas.

“Rare Plants of Texas is a major contribution to knowledge about Texas plants. The detailed information about specific rare plants, excellent line drawings, and extensive photographs make this book indispensable to anyone wishing to learn about the numerous rare plants in the state. Further, anyone generally interested in Texas botany or conservation will find the carefully done introduction extrememly valuable, with topics ranging from the natural regions of Texas to the history of plant conservation in the state.”--George M. Diggs, Jr., Professor of Biology, Austin College

"This reference guide is a comprehensive and detailed look at the rare plants of Texas. The book will be primarily of interest for botanists and those laypersons seriously involved with the subject matter. . . This is a comprehensive book and is a well done reference guide that should be of interest to the professional as well as the general layman interested in the field. Those with a deep interest in the topic will appreciate it the most. . . a major contribution to knowledge about Texas plants. The detailed information about specific rare plants, excellent line drawings, and extensive photographs make this book indispensable to anyone wishing to learn about the numerous rare plants in the state. . . Further, anyone generally interested in Texas botany or conservation will find the carefully done introduction extremely valuable, with topics ranging from the natural regions of Texas to the history of plant conservation in the state."-Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas

"It is a valuable contribution eschewing  flash for thoroughness."-Taxon

"The authors of Rare Plants of Texas are careful and meticulous workers, among the state's finest botanists, who repeatedly supplement their knowledge through field observations of the target species.  This book is the most reliable single source of rare plant information in existence. . . . I will use it on a regular basis."— A. Michael Powell, Professor Emeritus, Biology, Director of the Herbarium, Sul Ross State University

“Each profiled plant is represented by field-guide information, a distribution map, a drawing (usually) and at least one sharply detailed photograph.” --Texas Gardener

“Fascinating to the lay person who just wants to know more about the plants that surround us…This is a delightful book to get lost in when it is too hot to go out in the garden.” --Homegrown

“The book is scholarship at its truest, meticulous workmanship carried out with devotion as well as experience. . . . The images show the extraordinary range of beauty among cacti, fragile blooms, water plants and shrubs. By singling out each species, their unique standing becomes even more apparent. . . The book, meeting a need for professional botanists and environmentalists, is no less appealing to the nature lover and diehard Texan. Texas A&M University Press has done itself proud with this book, and a special mention goes to Linny Heagy for her delicate drawings.” --The Dallas Morning News

“. . . highly recommended for professional botanists and advanced researchers, conservationists, students, range managers, and others concerned with preserving the ecosystems of Texas and the Southwest.” --Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society