Table of Contents Introduction with Peter Raven   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 The Matrix of Life   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 Botanists estimate there are 300,000 species of plants on Earth. In the next 50 years, one in 4 will be gone or on the way to extinction. Frontiers of Discovery   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 Worldwide, scientists estimate that 50,000 species of plants - one in 6 - still await discovery. In the United States alone, one in twenty remain to be scientifically described. The Science of Systematics   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 Understanding the characteristics, relationships, and geographical distribution of plants in a way that reflects their evolutionary relationships. The Foundation of Knowledge   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 The Garden herbarium and library are a priceless archive for studies by students, scientists, and scholars from all over the world. Toward a Sustainable World   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 The Missouri Botanical Garden is a key institution in conservation worldwide, bringing together local residents, indigenous peoples, scientific institutions, and government agencies for intensive conservation efforts. continue >>
	Credits: Editorial Board: Peter Raven, Marshall Crosby, Robert Magill, Patricia Arnold, Brenda Jones, Jonathan Kleinbard Editor: Susan Wooleyhan Caine Contributing Writer: Gloria Bilchik Web Site Developer: Beth Owen
Text and photos from "The Unseen Garden" available from MBG Press.