From the elusive orchid of western Australia that only flowers underground to the promiscuous little violets of suburban American lawns, the world of plants is a fascinating place. In this book, Peter Bernhardt takes us on a grand tour of the botanical realm, weaving engaging descriptions of the lovely shapes and intriguing habits of flowering plants with considerations of broader questions, such as why there are only six basic shapes of flower and why the orchid family is so numerous and so bizarre. Everyone from amateur naturalists and gardeners to plant scientists should find Wily Violets and Underground Orchids a lively guide to botanical lore.