An orchard invisible : a natural history of seeds / Jonathan Silvertown ; with illustrations by Amy Whitesides.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

An orchard invisible: seeds -- First forms minute: evolution -- Even beans do it: sex -- Before the seed: pollination -- According to their own kinds: inheritance -- O rose, thou art sick!: enemies -- The biggest coconut I ever see: size -- Ten thousand acorns: number -- Luscious clusters of the vine: fruit -- Winged seeds: dispersal -- Circumstance unknown: fate -- Fierce energy: germination -- Sorrow's mysteries: poisons -- Ah, sun-flower!: oil -- John Barleycorn: beer -- Realm of illusion: coffee -- Nourishment and inspiration: gastronomy.

The story of seeds, in a nutshell, is a tale of evolution. From the tiny sesame that we sprinkle on our bagels to the forty-five-pound double coconut borne by the coco de mer tree, seeds are a perpetual reminder of the complexity and diversity of life on earth. How and why do some lie dormant for years on end? How did seeds evolve? The wide variety of uses that humans have developed for seeds of all sorts also receives a fascinating look, studded with examples, including foods, oils, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals.