From the preface: ""When the first Spanish and French explorers encountered the western Gulf Coast, they were confronted by an immense and continuous wetland zone that ranged from shallow brackish bays, densely vegetated marshes, and wooded swamps to wet and poorly drained prairies. Early land value assessments were often negative . . . . Today, the original, boundless, and nearly impenetrable wetlands are found in smaller patches, punctuated by levees, ditches, and roadways. There have been major changes in plant distribution and species composition and abundance across the western Gulf Coast."" This book, originally published by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department but unavailable for years, fills a longstanding need for a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide to the aquatic and wetland plants of the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Brownsville (including all of the Texas coast). Charles D. Stutzenbaker, a retired wildlife biologist, describes the habitat requirements, wildlife values, propagation, and management possibilities for more than 200 plants, which are illustrated by pen-and-ink drawings that accompany habitat and scale photographs for field identification. The plants are arranged by growth characteristics, ranging from free-floating aquatics to shrubs, and each plant occupies a handy, two-page spread.