The Science of Plants

Reviewed by Mary Poulson, Professor, Central Washington University on 2/27/26

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook provides a thorough introduction to horticulture. The book is also an appropriate resource for an introductory botany or plant form and function course as it addresses most fundamental concepts of plant structure and function that would typically be covered in an introductory course. Subjects such as evolution of plants, ecological aspects of plant biology, uses of plants are materials and nutritional and medical application of plants are not addressed in the book but could be added as needed as the text format is very flexible. Each topic in the book is described in enough detail that material could be selectively used and supplemented with additional topics and links if desired.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text is accurate in content and error free throughout. Some content, such as Chapter 15, Invasive Plants and GMOs is limited in its focus on plants located in the Minnesota region but as this book was developed for a horticultural science course in Minnesota this is not surprising. The content is complete and presented in an unbiased way. Addition of an overview of recent developments in molecular techniques used in horticulture would improve the book but as it stands the content is complete and accurate for the audience that the book is intended for.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Most of the topics addressed in the text are general descriptions that are relevant for use in an introductory horticulture or plant science course. The introductory chapter, which is a description of different fields of plant science and of science and experimentation, is put forth in a way that explains to readers how plants, plant science and scientific inquiry are all relevant and integral to their daily lives. The format allows for corrections and supplemental inclusions as new information and needs arise.

Clarity rating: 5

The text has a good flow, is easy to read and is written at a level appropriate for an introductory course. The photographic and video supplementation are useful, and the quality of images and line art is good, although they are focused on one region in North America. Each chapter includes learning objectives and key terms with clickable definitions, as well as lists of terms, a glossary, and links to flashcards.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is clear and consistent in its style and format throughout. Multiple authors contributed to the book and there are many links to stable supplementary content on the web, but the flow and presentation is consistent throughout. Figures and videos are also presented in a consistent manner throughout the text.

Modularity rating: 5

The chapters are organized in a clear and consistent manner, and the table of contents is presented in an outline such that content is easy to find and the material could easily be modified or re-ordered for a specific course application. The supplementary videos make the book or sections of the book a useful resource for supplements in an in person or an online course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The structure is clear and consistent throughout the text. The flow is appropriate and suitable for an introductory course. The organization of concepts in the book is different than what one usually expects and, in a few cases, similar concepts are found in different chapters. For example, it was surprising that Seed Germination is in a chapter with Taxonomy rather than in the chapter on Seeds or Sexual Reproduction. Woody Growth and Secondary Thickening in plants is covered in the chapter along with Cells and Tissues and in the chapter on Meristems and Flowers. Grouping Meristems with Cells and Tissues and Flowers with Seeds and Sexual Reproduction makes more sense to me but because the book is modular and adaptable it can easily be rearranged to suit any course or the needs of different users.

Interface rating: 5

The flexibility in presentation is good. The online format facilitates the use of videos and other ancillaries and easy links to further reading. Links in the online book send the reader to stable, relevant content. The online version gives readers the best experience but the pdf form was also easy to use. Most of the links to videos and content from the pdf worked and the material in and the flow of the book understandable even without active links to content.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is free from grammatical errors. It is well edited.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The book is free from cultural insensitivity but could be improved to address a wider audience with inclusion of information or examples beyond those in Minnesota or of more global aspects of horticulture.

This is an easy-to-read book that includes a comprehensive introduction to horticulture and plant science. The text flows well and the book includes many figures of different types (photographs, line art and sketches) and videos that not only supplement explanations of concepts but also make the book more relevant to readers and fun to explore. Presentation of each chapter with clear objectives, good review questions and easy-to-access links to supplemental reading and flashcards makes the book a great tool for students.

Reviewed by Paula Mejia Velasquez, Adjunct Professor, Leeward Community College on 12/8/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is a great resource for an introductory-level class on Horticulture or botany, covering most of the topics usually addressed in a class at the undergrad level. Some topics are explained in more detail than others, but all the topics presented in the book are well explained. An important topic that is not included in the book is ecology, explaining different ways that plants interact with other organisms (e.g. animals, plants, fungi).

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content of the book appears accurate, and the topics are presented in a neutral, not biased way.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The topics covered in the book are relevant for an introductory plant science class at an undergrad level. In terms of longevity, most of the material should still be relevant in the long term, but other topics, like taxonomy, would probably need to be updated every so often.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is easy to follow and read, at a level that is accessible and understandable for undergrad students. A list of terms or glossary is included in each chapter and at the end of the book, this helps students that need more explanation on a term.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is consistent from beginning to end, presenting a similar writing style and format.

Modularity rating: 5

The organization of the chapters and the subunits is clear and consistent. Individual chapters or subunits can be found easily on the chapter outline, making it easy to alter the order of the book content based on teaching preferences.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 2

Each chapter consists of a brief introduction, learning objectives, the topic per se, and a glossary. This structure is similar to most textbooks and I think it works great. However, I had a hard time with the order that the topics are presented in this book. In my opinion, the organization of the chapters could follow a different order to improve the flow of the book. There are several concepts/topics in the book that are grouped with concepts/topics that do not seem to be closely related, and that maybe would fit better under other more related chapters. For example, flower morphology is grouped in a chapter with meristems, plant taxonomy is grouped with seed germination, and plant growth is grouped with inflorescences. It would probably make more sense to group flower morphology with inflorescences, and meristems with plant growth. In a specific example, seed germination is presented in Chapter 2 as section 2.2, but a more comprehensive chapter on seeds is included in Chapter 9. I think the seed germination section would be a better fit for Chapter 9, and leave Chapter 2 as a taxonomic chapter.

Interface rating: 4

The textbook is available in different formats, including pdf, word, xml, ebook, and online. I explored the online and pdf versions and found them easy to navigate. The online version includes short videos that expand on some topics, as well as embedded h5p interactive activities to test comprehension and increase student engagement. The pdf version on the other hand does not have the videos or interactive activities embedded, instead, it provides links to them. However, some of the links provided do not work (e.g. links on pages 12 -13). I would recommend using the online version of the book.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no significant amount of grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I did not find the book to be culturally insensitive or offensive. It is mainly focused on plants found in northern temperate areas. Including some tropical examples could make this book more attractive to a wider audience.

This book does a great job of covering and explaining basic plant and horticultural science concepts that are typically included in an introductory-level botany or horticulture class. I really liked that it includes videos, a glossary, interactive activities (i.e. h5p), and other supplementary materials (i.e. review questions and Quizlet flashcards), as I think they are great tools to complement the content of the book and engage students. The book is easy to read, each chapter includes specific learning outcomes, a chapter outline, a summary, and review questions. I disagree with the order the topics are presented, but each instructor could easily address this by assigning the chapters in a different order.