The Coastal Plain, which runs from the middle of New Jersey, down the Atlantic Coast, across Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the most abundant provinces of the United States, in terms of plants, shrubs and vines.

In this new field guide, Wildflowers of the Coastal Plain, author Ray Neyland profiles 535 species of native flora, with beautiful pictures and capsule descriptions of each.

Some of the descriptions include historical information, such as how the plants may have been used for food or medicine in the past.

And there is also a step-by-step guide in the back of the book that will help readers identify plants themselves, by simply starting with the color and working through a process of elimination until they know the variety they are observing.

There are line drawings of all sorts of plant structures, a glossary of terms and a lengthy index of plants using both common and lating names.

But the pictures are by far the best part of this wonderful new field guide.

Cost is $34.95 from LSU Press.