Compared to the obvious complexity of animals, plants at a glance seem relatively simple in form. But that simplicity is deceptive: the plants around us are the result of millennia of incredible evolutionary adaptations that have allowed them to survive, and thrive, under wildly changing conditions and in remarkably specific ecological niches. Much of this innovation, however, is invisible to the naked eye. With Wonders of the Plant Kingdom, the naked eye gets an unforgettable boost. A stunning collaboration between science and art, this gorgeous book presents hundreds of images of plants taken with a scanning electron microscope and hand-colored by artist Rob Kesseler to reveal the awe-inspiring adaptations all around us. The surface of a peach―with its hairs, or trichomes, and sunken stomata, or breathing pores―emerges from these pages in microscopic detail. The dust-like seeds of the smallest cactus species in the world, the Blossfeldia liliputana―which measures just twelve millimeters fully grown―explode here with form, color, and character, while the flower bud of a kaffir lime, cross-sectioned, reveals the complex of a flower bud with the all-important pistil in the center. Accompanying these extraordinary images are up-to-date explanations of the myriad ways that these plants have ensured their own survival―and, by proxy, our own. Gardeners and science buffs alike will marvel at this wholly new perspective on the world of plant diversity.

Wonders of the Plant Kingdom: A Microcosm Revealed

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Stuppy, Wolfgang

Kesseler, Rob

Harley, Madeline

Gardening & Landscape Design

University of Chicago Press

A scientific and artistic collaboration reveals a stunning, even sensual, microscopic world. 
 Pollen grains have fascinated the scientifically curious since the 17th century. They are minute, almost impossible to see without a high-powered microscope, and remain hidden beyond the beauty o the flower until the moment of release. Then the grains, like alien spaceships, are carried by wind, water or animal to achieve their purpose of procreation. 
 This beautifully produced and highly original book by an artist and botanical scientist portrays the perfect designs of these microscopic organisms. Special light and scanning electron microscopy are used to obtain astonishing images of pollen grains, which are combined with exquisite photographs of the parent plants. 
 Pollen describes and illustrates in minute detail the reproductive workings of plants ranging from tulips and lilies to orchids and palms. The structure and form of pollen set the scene for the remarkable events that occur from pollination to fertilization. Also included are literary references to plant reproduction, as well as early botanical illustrations. 
 Pollen is an intriguing book that is both informative and surprisingly beautiful.

Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers

Firefly Books

A remarkable collaboration of art and science celebrating the diversity of seeds. 
 An orchid seed may be minuscule, so small and light that one gram contains more than 7.5 million seeds. In contrast, a single-seeded Seychelles seed is a nut weighing up to 20 pounds. All seeds have the same purpose -- to travel through time and space until they reach the right place at the right moment to create a new plant. 
 This large-format book melds art and science in an authoritative examination of the design and function of seeds. Special light and scanning electron microscopy are used to obtain astonishing images of diverse seeds at various states of maturity. Pods, pouches, keys, nuts and other vehicles of dispersal are explained and illustrated. 
 These time capsules of life for plants familiar and strange are presented in minute, beautiful detail. Microphotographs of the tiniest seeds and extraordinarily detailed cutaway images of larger seeds are combined with text that explains the formation and maturation of seeds and describes how they find their way to becoming a copy of the parent plant. Literary references to plant reproduction are featured as well, along with early botanical illustrations. 
 Authoritative and richly illustrated, Seeds offers a fascinating and intimate look at the remarkable reproductive process of plants.

Seeds: Time Capsules of Life

A remarkable collaboration of nature, art and photography, celebrating the beauty of fruit. 
 The landmark books Seeds and Pollen were published in 2006 to rave reviews-with adjectives ranging from "breathtaking" to "spectacular," from "spellbinding" to "dazzling." 
 This companion title examines why fruits exist and how their short lives are critical to the natural order. Visual artist Rob Kesseler uses special light and scanning electron microscopy to create astonishing images of a variety of fruits and the seeds they shelter. His razor-sharp cross-sections reveal intricate interiors and pods, pouches, keys, nuts and other examples of botanical architecture. Seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy deftly explains the formation, development and demise of fruit. Literary, historical and artistic references to fruit are included as well. 
 Fruit is groundbreaking in its intimate examination of plant reproduction. An essential source and reference for artists, designers and gardeners, this stunning book will fascinate any reader interested in the natural world and biological structures.

Fruit: Edible, Inedible, Incredible

Science and art collaborate to reveal a stunning, even sensual, microscopic world. Three landmark books -- Pollen, Seeds and Fruit -- were published in 2006 and 2008 to rave reviews: "breathtaking," "ravishing," "spectacular," "enlightening," "truly revelatory" and "beautiful almost beyond description." In The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants, the authors bring the best of these books together in one volume that is a fascinating union of art and science. Visual artist Rob Kesseler uses special light techniques and scanning electron microscopy to create astonishing images of a variety of pollens, seeds and fruits. His razor-sharp cross sections reveal intricate interiors, pods, pouches, keys and other examples of botanical architecture and seed dispersal. Seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy and palynologist Madeline Harley deftly explain the botanical purposes of the pollens, seeds and fruit, how they fulfill their missions and their roles in preserving the biodiversity of our planet. Literary references to plant reproduction are featured along with early botanical illustrations. The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants is groundbreaking in its intimate examination of plant reproduction. It is an essential reference for artists, designers and photographers and will fascinate gardeners and general readers.

The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants

"Who would have thought that a book about seeds could be a stunning work of art? ... Anyone who believes that life and art are inseparable will want to purchase this book immediately." -- Choice The publication of the first edition of Seeds broke new ground by melding art and science in a beautiful yet authoritative examination of the design and function of seeds. This new edition contains 60 spectacular new photographs published here for the first time. In addition, the book contains a fully updated chapter about the Millennium Seed Bank Project and its recent acquisitions. Microphotographs and detailed cutaway images reveal the intricate architecture of pods, pouches, keys and nuts of various sizes, from minute to relatively enormous. Concise text explains their formation and maturation and describes the clever dispersal methods that set off each plant's reproduction cycle. Literary references and early botanical illustrations complement the scientific perspective and create a comprehensive collection of data. This new edition of Seeds, with its new images and updated text, is truly remarkable and will be welcomed by botanists, serious gardeners and collectors of unusual art.

Fruit. The word itself conjures up mouthwatering memories of crunchy apples, luscious strawberries, sweet bananas, succulent melons, and juicy pineapples, to which we can now add the splendid cornucopia of tropical fruits that have conquered supermarket shelves around the world. They are one of nature’s most wonderful gifts, but providing us with a healthy source of food is not the reason that plants produce such delicious fruits. We all know that many fruits are not edible and that some are even poisonous. It is therefore quite legitimate to ask what fruits are, and why they exist. In this pioneering collaboration, visual artists Rob Kesseler and seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy use scanning electron microscopy to obtain astonishing images of astonishing images of a variety of fruits and the seeds they protect. Razor-sharp cross sections reveal intricate interiors, berries and pods, nuts and other examples of botanical architecture and reproductive ingenuity. The black-and-white microscope images have been sumptuously colored by Rob Kesseler, highlighting the structure and functioning of the minuscule fruit and seeds - some almost invisible to the naked eye - and in so doing creating a work of art.

Arts & Photography

Photography & Video

Earth Aware Editions

A captivating glimpse into the unseen world around us, this groundbreaking book is the result of the shared fascination of an artist and a scientist with the perfect design of pollen grains, organisms so small that they cannot be seen without a microscope Pollen is ubiquitous: In childhood we all learn a little about plant reproduction and the role of the bee, but few of us are aware of the astonishing diversity of the structure of pollen grains, although these tiny, extraordinary forms have fascinated the scientifically curious since the seventeenth century. These grains are enclosed beyond the accessible beauty of the flower until the moment of release, when they are carried by wind, water, or animal vectors to achieve their purpose, which is procreation. Starting with a clear explanation of the structure and form of pollen, the authors go on to examine the remarkable events from pollination to fertilization, and the many unseen ways in which pollen impacts our lives. All of this is interwoven with a dazzling array of original images by the authors, created especially for the book. Pollen is a unique interpretation of a magical world that no other book on the subject has ever been able to achieve.

Praise for Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers These are the most ravishing biology lessons we've ever seen.... An enlightening gift or a personal indulgence. --Chicago Tribune 
 Praise for Seeds: Time Capsules of Life An incandescent blend of exacting science and extraordinary art. --Booklist 
 Praise for Fruit: Edible, Inedible, Incredible Little short of astonishing. If the book never gets further than your coffee table, it's still likely to blow the stuffing out of anything else laid near it. --January Magazine 
 Three landmark books, Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers; Seeds: Time Capsules of Life; and Fruit: Edible, Inedible, Incredible, earned high praise that varied from "breathtaking" and "ravishing" to "enlightening" and "truly revelatory." The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants, which sold 6,000 copies in hardcover and is now available in paperback, brings together the best of these three books in one fascinating union of art and science. 
 Visual artist Rob Kesseler uses special light and scanning electron microscopy to create astonishing images of a variety of pollen, seeds and fruits. His razor-sharp cross-sections reveal intricate interiors, pods, pouches, keys, and other examples of botanical architecture and seed dispersal. Seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy and palynologist Madeline Harley deftly explain the botanical purposes for which the pollen, seeds and fruit are designed, how they fulfill their mission, and their role in preserving the biodiversity of our planet. Literary references and early botanical illustrations pepper the text. 
 The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants is groundbreaking in its intimate examination of plant reproduction. It is an essential source and reference for artists, designers and photographers and will fascinate gardeners and readers interested in the natural world.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kesseler, Rob. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Kesseler, Rob

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kesseler, Rob. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Wonders of the Plant Kingdom: A Microcosm Revealed

Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers

Seeds: Time Capsules of Life

Fruit: Edible, Inedible, Incredible

The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants

Seeds: Time Capsules of Life

Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers

Fruit: Edible, Inedible, Incredible

Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers

The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants