**"Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology by James D. Mauseth - 4th Edition Hardcover [Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2008] | Perfect for College Students & Botany Enthusiasts"**

I'm an amateur naturalist, not a serious student of biology, but I found this book to be the perfect study guide to help me understand more about the plant world. It assumes no previous background in the life sciences, and even has a section on the basic chemistry of proteins, sugars, starches, amino acids and so forth- precisely what the beginning botanist needs to understand the material. The text is clear and the illustrations are plentiful and unambiguous, making this book an excellent choice for self-study.