This is an easy to use, handy reference. The focus is on trees in Texas, but of course it is of use outside of Texas, since few of these trees are exclusive enough to stop dead at the Texas border. The descriptions are very thorough, allowing you to double check your identifications. ( )

This book han sot just an identification focus, but a section on each tree's historical uses and abundance within the state. Within this section are often comments about whether the species is getting more or less common and whethter it is a long or short-lived tree, has a lot of litter and so forth.

Drawings are used instead of photos for tree form, leaf symmetry, and flower and seed appearance. The text is written in plain language and there is very little of the botany disection for identification found in the other style plant identification books.

There are range maps with each tree description. I find the drawing of the tree shape and size helpful. This is partly or completely missing in many tree identification books. The drawings are done to represent the typical tree and so often more useful than a photo would be. ( )