Book Review of Jungle Trees of Central India by Pradip Krishen
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JANAKI TURAGA
Feb 1, 2014, 12:05:23 PM2/1/14
to treepix Indian
Hi all,
here is my book review of Jungle Trees of Central India by Pradip Krishen.
Enjoy
Book Review
Jungle Trees of Central India: A Field Guide for Tree Spotters by
Pradip Krishen
What a breath of fresh air!
Going through this book, I am transposed to Central India amidst its trees.
The book covers nearly 200 species of wild trees with the aid of more
than 2000 photographs.
Central India is redefined according to the ecosystem and hence cut
across state boundaries, which is a very useful and appropriate
approach. The book unlocks the forests of the Central Indian
ecosystem. For the first time, Central Indian ecosystems have been
unravelled and the trees that make those ecosystems have been given
their rightful place.
Tree identification is set in the framework of Leaf keys- simple,
compound, toothed, lobed, pinnate and twice pinnate.
Additional keys for flower, fruit and bark are also given. These
additional keys highlight and bring out different facets of a tree.
The bark key captures the varied barks of a single species, which is
very useful in identifying a tree in the wild.
Photographs are the biggest advantage, and given the size of the book,
are big and not merely bring out the identification features but the
beauty of the trees themselves. Wonderful pictures. What I love about
the pictures is that we get to see the mostly unseen Central Indian
landscape, where trees are in their natural habitat.
The issues of classification of trees is addressed in this book too.
Kankera has a different latin name from that of the earlier Trees of
Delhi, thereby reflecting the ongoing debate of classification of
trees.
Bigger book, weighty book, with large photographs, which can be taken
to the field.
Why is this book so special and path breaking?
First of all, it celebrates the trees and the ecosystems of this vast
region which is so central to India. All of us pass through it
(mostly) either through rail or road if we have to go across the
country from one end to the other.
Secondly, it celebrates the local mindscape and cosmology of
trees-their names and uses.
Thirdly, for the first time we have one field guide for such a large
region which not merely gives information about the various
ecosystems, but has incredible photographs that celebrate the tree
itself, and which help in identifying the tree.
It is a big book in many ways-scope, dimensions and vision. All
achieved in a big way. Very very impactful.
What I love is that Central Indian languages have been given the prime
importance. Trees names are given in the Central Indian languages.
Surrei is such a poetic name and so is Sal....If you search for Sal in
the index, you will get the Sal family, but if you look up Surrei, you
will get Surrei and Sal.
I, for one, would be carrying this book the next time I travel through
Central India.
Right now, the premium edition is out. The regular edition will be out
in March-April. Price: Rs.1499/-
Must buy for people interested in trees especially of Central India.
One is inadvertantly drawn to a very subterranean if not an overt
referencing(while using) and comparison(while reviewing) to his
earlier book Trees of Delhi, especially in terms of the layout of the
book, the vision, the identification keys, photographs etc. But though
both are similar in some ways, they are different too. Somewhere the
natural habitat gives the trees a different character and they come
into their element, and this is the critical difference. Both books
are a must have for all tree lovers. One only wishes for more books of
this kind. Perhaps the next book could be of Rajasthan and Gujarat?
Janaki Turaga
February 1st, 2014
here is my book review of Jungle Trees of Central India by Pradip Krishen.
Enjoy
Book Review
Jungle Trees of Central India: A Field Guide for Tree Spotters by
Pradip Krishen
What a breath of fresh air!
Going through this book, I am transposed to Central India amidst its trees.
The book covers nearly 200 species of wild trees with the aid of more
than 2000 photographs.
Central India is redefined according to the ecosystem and hence cut
across state boundaries, which is a very useful and appropriate
approach. The book unlocks the forests of the Central Indian
ecosystem. For the first time, Central Indian ecosystems have been
unravelled and the trees that make those ecosystems have been given
their rightful place.
Tree identification is set in the framework of Leaf keys- simple,
compound, toothed, lobed, pinnate and twice pinnate.
Additional keys for flower, fruit and bark are also given. These
additional keys highlight and bring out different facets of a tree.
The bark key captures the varied barks of a single species, which is
very useful in identifying a tree in the wild.
Photographs are the biggest advantage, and given the size of the book,
are big and not merely bring out the identification features but the
beauty of the trees themselves. Wonderful pictures. What I love about
the pictures is that we get to see the mostly unseen Central Indian
landscape, where trees are in their natural habitat.
The issues of classification of trees is addressed in this book too.
Kankera has a different latin name from that of the earlier Trees of
Delhi, thereby reflecting the ongoing debate of classification of
trees.
Bigger book, weighty book, with large photographs, which can be taken
to the field.
Why is this book so special and path breaking?
First of all, it celebrates the trees and the ecosystems of this vast
region which is so central to India. All of us pass through it
(mostly) either through rail or road if we have to go across the
country from one end to the other.
Secondly, it celebrates the local mindscape and cosmology of
trees-their names and uses.
Thirdly, for the first time we have one field guide for such a large
region which not merely gives information about the various
ecosystems, but has incredible photographs that celebrate the tree
itself, and which help in identifying the tree.
It is a big book in many ways-scope, dimensions and vision. All
achieved in a big way. Very very impactful.
What I love is that Central Indian languages have been given the prime
importance. Trees names are given in the Central Indian languages.
Surrei is such a poetic name and so is Sal....If you search for Sal in
the index, you will get the Sal family, but if you look up Surrei, you
will get Surrei and Sal.
I, for one, would be carrying this book the next time I travel through
Central India.
Right now, the premium edition is out. The regular edition will be out
in March-April. Price: Rs.1499/-
Must buy for people interested in trees especially of Central India.
One is inadvertantly drawn to a very subterranean if not an overt
referencing(while using) and comparison(while reviewing) to his
earlier book Trees of Delhi, especially in terms of the layout of the
book, the vision, the identification keys, photographs etc. But though
both are similar in some ways, they are different too. Somewhere the
natural habitat gives the trees a different character and they come
into their element, and this is the critical difference. Both books
are a must have for all tree lovers. One only wishes for more books of
this kind. Perhaps the next book could be of Rajasthan and Gujarat?
Janaki Turaga
February 1st, 2014
J.M. Garg
Feb 1, 2014, 10:58:01 PM2/1/14
to JANAKI TURAGA, treepix Indian
Thanks, Janaki ji, for a beautiful review.
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J.M.Garg
'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna'
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The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a thousand species & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image.
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