I still remember the first Trillium species I ever saw when, as a youngster, I observed colonies of Trillium ovatum in the moss-covered forest floor under large Douglas Fir trees in western Oregon.

The showy flowers were not really spectacular but were strangely different from any other flower I had ever seen. Trilliums are like that-odd enough to be remembered.

The Case's have produced a beautiful book, the result of over 45 years of growing, studying and searching out trilliums. Other than the fact that some names will be disputed, changed or added, everything else one needs to know about trilliums is included in this book.

The well written, easy-to-read chapters include an introduction, plant structure, biology, horticulture, conservation, taxonomy, a key to the species and a complete species listing. The keys have useful small drawings to help quickly distinguish one from another.

Each species listing includes the botanical name, synonymy, common names, plant habit, growth season, distribution (including a distribution map), varieties, forms and hybrids along with many other useful comments.

All thirty-eight North American species and five Asian species are covered. The 78 color photographs are superb.

The chapter on horticulture is the best I have seen for any group of plants in a long time. The authors have extensive experience growing and propagating trilliums, plus the additional advantage of knowing and sharing information with other trillium enthusiasts world-wide, thus providing up-to-date information from many parts of the world.

Many of the most beautiful selections of species have been slow to propagate and often expensive when available. Many years ago I saw a bed of a spectacular double white-flowered trillium at a nursery in southern Oregon. The owners had been propagating that clone for many years and still did not have adequate stock to distribute. It is good to read that tissue culture techniques are just starting to show successful results in propagating this genus.

TRILLIUMS should be in the library of every person interested in bulbs and native wildflowers. This relatively small book is a most useful field guide for identification and successful culture of nursery propagated stock. It is well worth the reasonable price.

Michael Vassar