Lester G. E. Rowntree (1879-1979), free-spirited adventurer and pioneering botanist, was fifty-two when she traded a comfortable home for the life of a peripatetic traveler in the California mountains, deserts, and forests. Through hundreds of articles, two books, and uncounted public lectures, Rowntree shared her vast knowledge of California native plants and argued passionately for the protection of the state's bountiful flora. A mountain mystic who worshipped on Sierra peaks, bathed in alpine streams, and lived for months on beans and bread, Rowntree has remained an inspiration in native plant horticulture and plant conservation to this day. This beloved classic, first published in 1936, is Rowntree's poetic sketch of California and its plant life. This new edition includes a biographical essay, a chapter on Rowntree's horticultural legacy, an updated species list, and a complete bibliography of her writings.--From publisher description.