Nature’s Magicians: How Leaves Conjure Up Our World

'Nature's Magicians is an illuminating book, both a cornucopia of the myriad ways in which plants are adapted to survive and grow, and a lucid warning from the recent unsupported claims about the "wood-wide web" and "plant intelligence", showing how science can be twisted and misrepresented.' —Roland Ennos, author of The Wood Age 'Enjoyable, highly stimulating, often enthralling and frequently inspirational. This is a provocative re-imagining of what it means to be a plant.' —Thomas J. Givnish, Henry Allan Gleason Professor Emeritus of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison 'Nature's Magicians reminded me – a plant biologist – that there is always more to discover in a leaf. What Silvertown does best is take the science that specialists like me take for granted and transform it into something that will captivate any reader. From the canopies of tropical rainforests to the adaptations of desert plants, he captures the centrality of leaves in all our lives – creating food from sunlight, recycling water back into the atmosphere, making medicines and poisons, and providing our shelter and clothing. If you want a book that will make the people in your life finally understand why leaves matter, this is it.' —Pamela C. Ronald, co-author of Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food 'If you’ve ever contemplated the question “What do leaves do?,” Jonathan Silvertown offers intriguing insights and answers in Nature’s Magicians. Exploring leaves as both a source and currency of life, Silvertown surveys many facets of leaves including function, shape, architecture, how they fight off pests, and their connections to plant behaviour, among others. Nature’s Magicians is a riveting invitation for plant lovers and nature enthusiasts alike to engage and marvel anew at the magic and power of leaves.' —Beronda Montgomery, author of Lessons from Plants 'Like no other, Jonathan Silvertown is able to make us marvel at the magic that is the humble plant leaf.' —Menno Schilthuizen, author of The Urban Naturalist