Abstract

The Handbook of Wild Roses in Japan is a unique field guide, the first of its kind, which provides the details of the 34 roses seen in Japan – not only native species but also natural hybrids and traditional cultivars. With the help of high definition photographs which were taken using the focus stacking technique, all the parts of wild roses --- the details of flowers, leaves, prickles, hips --- can be closely observed, and their botanical features, which are usually described with difficult technical terms, are effectively clarified. The author is a leading expert in this field, and the classification of the roses is based on the latest studies. The pages which afford the keys for identification will help the readers to improve their knowledge of the differences and the diversity of wild roses in Japan. In addition, for every rose, the author gives valuable information on its cultural backgrounds, uses, and changes in scientific names, etc. This book provides amateurs in botany with a lot of expertise in wild roses. Those who observe wild roses with this book in their hands will gain a heightened interest, not just in those roses, but in botany as well. This book will also meet the needs of naturalists in general for their field research, and of professional horticulturists for gardening and breeding using wild roses.

Author’s Information

Yuki Mikanagi (PhD, Agriculture) is a curator of the herbarium and head of the department of collection management of the Natural History Museum & Institute, Chiba (Japan), a past-chairperson of the World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS) Conservation and Heritage Committee, a judge at the International Fragrant Rose Trials in Echigo Hillside Park, and a board member of the NPO Rose Culture Institute. Since she was a graduate student at Chiba University, she has been attracted to the diverse features of roses, particularly wild roses and old garden roses./ Koichi Osaku is acknowledged as the most prolific nature photographer in Japan. He has published more than 20 books for identification of mushrooms, plants (including ferns), shells and sea urchins using his advanced photographic techniques, which resemble botanical drawings. Pictures were taken both in the studio in his van, to focus on details, and in the field, to bring the natural world to life with the use of vivid photographs, thus making his topics more accessible for novice readers and making them more interesting for knowledgeable ones.