''Pathless Forest: The Quest to Save the World's Largest Flowers'' is a non-fiction book written by University of Oxford botanist Chris Thorogood. Published in 2024, the book explores the world of plant biodiversity and the intricacies of botanical ecosystems, with a particular focus on the author's quest to find ''

Rafflesia ''Rafflesia'' (), or stinking corpse lily, is a genus of Parasitic plants, parasitic flowering plants in the family Rafflesiaceae. The species have enormous flowers, the buds rising from the ground or directly from the lower stems of their host p ...

'', the world's largest flower. Thorogood combines scientific insights with vivid descriptions and illustrations to bring the reader closer to the often-overlooked world of plants.

Author

Thorogood is a botanist at the

University of Oxford Botanic Garden The University of Oxford Botanic Garden is the oldest Botanical garden, botanic garden in Great Britain and one of the oldest scientific gardens in the world. The garden was founded in 1621 as a physic garden growing plants for medicinal resear ...

. He is known for his research in plant science and his ability to communicate complex botanical concepts to the general public. Thorogood has authored several books and numerous scientific papers and frequently contributes to botanical art and illustration.

Overview

Pathless Forest delves into various themes related to plant life, including: *

Biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

: Thorogood emphasizes plant species' vast diversity and ecological roles. * Botanical explorations: The book recounts historical and contemporary botanical explorations, highlighting significant discoveries and the adventurers behind them. *

Biological interaction In ecology, a biological interaction is the effect that a pair of organisms living together in a community have on each other. They can be either of the same species (intraspecific interactions), or of different species (interspecific interaction ...

: It examines the relationships between plants and their environments, including symbiotic associations, competition, and adaptation. *

Nature conservation Nature conservation is the ethic/moral philosophy and conservation movement focused on protecting species from extinction, maintaining and restoring habitats, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biological diversity. A range of values ...

: Thorogood addresses the urgent need for plant conservation in the face of habitat loss and

climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...

. * Quest for ''Rafflesia'': A significant portion of the book is dedicated to Thorogood's journey to find Rafflesia, a parasitic flowering plant known for producing the largest individual flower in the world.

''Rafflesia''

'' is a genus of parasitic flowering plants found in Southeast Asia, notable for producing the largest flowers in the world. The flowers can grow up to 3 feet in diameter and weigh up to 15 pounds. ''Rafflesia'' is known for its strong odor of decaying flesh, which attracts pollinators such as flies. The plant has no stems, leaves, or roots and relies entirely on a host vine for water and nutrients. Because of its peculiar biology and rarity, ''Rafflesia'' is a subject of fascination and scientific study.

Illustrations

One of the distinctive features of ''Pathless Forest'' is the use of illustrations. Thorogood, an accomplished botanical artist, has created detailed illustrations to complement the text. These illustrations not only enhance the visual appeal of the book but also serve as educational tools, helping readers better understand botanical structures and processes.

Narrative

The jungle sets the stage for a growing tension between the author's need to find ''Rafflesia'', and its obstinance to remain hidden: a fight symbolized by the plants themselves – strangler figs, vines, creepers and so on. ''Pathless Forest'' is told through three voices. One is that of the author, based on his field diary extracts. The second voice is that of the flower, which acts as a narrative device to place plants centre-stage. The third voice is that of a forester in Sumatra who sends cryptic text messages that create a narrative drive, pulling the author towards a purpose. These three voices become liminal towards the end of the book; like the plants, they intertwine: the forester becomes personified during a visit

Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

, and the voice of the flower becomes subsumed by the author's subconscious; it becomes apparent at this point that they've drawn the author to Southeast Asia to show him that ''Rafflesia'' is in peril and needs saving.

Reception

Critics and readers have praised ''Pathless Forest'' for its engaging writing style and the seamless integration of scientific information with storytelling. The book has been lauded for making botany accessible to a broader audience and inspiring a deeper appreciation for plant life.

Publications

* Thorogood, Chris. ''Pathless Forest''. Penguin Press, 2024. ISBN 9780241632628.

References

{{Reflist Botany books 2024 non-fiction books category:Rafflesia Penguin Press books