This book series published by BRIT provides a detailed and fully illustrated inventory of native and naturalized plant species for major regions of Texas. These floras provide solid science as well as information vital to user communities including ranchers, foresters, farmers, Agricultural Extension Agents, horticultural producers, Master Gardeners, homeowners, and developers. Dr. George Diggs (Austin College) is primary author, with BRIT associates Barney Lipscomb, Robert O’Kennon, and Robert George (Project Coordinator), and Monique Dubrule Reed (Texas A&M).
* Shinners & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas: Published in 1999, this volume set the standard and format for the series. As of 2018, the book is in its 3rd printing (with corrections) and has sold over 6500 copies. It continues to be chosen as a preferred classroom text for a number of university level courses in the region.
* Illustrated Flora of East Texas, Vol. 1: First volume (ferns, gymnosperms, and monocots) of the series was published in 2006. Dicots will follow in Vol. 2 (ca. 2025) and Vol. 3 (ca. 2030). Geographic coverage of 87 counties; a checklist of the known East Texas plants includes more than 3,900 species. The introduction has discussions of geology and geological history, effects of glaciation on the vegetation, soils, settlement and pre-settlement history, and climate, and it presents extensive information on the Big Thicket and Caddo Lake areas. Also features a distribution map for each species, indices for selection of native species that attract birds, help to foresters in teaching bark, resin, fruit, and twig characteristics of the principal timber species, and a quick guide to the common poisonous and medicinal plants.
* The Ferns and Lycophytes of Texas: The first comprehensive publication on Texas ferns in since 1956, this project also features a companion website that includes an interactive visual key.
Current & Future Works
We are currently working on updating the Flora of North Central Texas (i.e, 2nd Edition) as well as writing Volumes 2 & 3 of Flora of East Texas. In fall of 2018, BRIT Press is releasing Flowering Plants of Trans-Pecos Texas and Adjacent Areas, a comprehensive work by Michael Powell and Richard Worthington.
* The vascular flora of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Llano and Gillespie counties, Texas, U.S.A.: Originally published as an article in Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (2016. Vol. 10:267–294), we added photographs and a cover to create a stand-alone florula. We hope to add illustrations and release it formally as part of the Illustrated Flora series.
