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Cycads are an ancient and engrossing group of plants, which are in process of being loved to death by wealthy collectors for the horticultural market the world over. One purpose in writing the book was to foster awareness of the plants and concern about their predicament. A larger purpose is to open a door into the wonderful workings of tiny insects and their interactions with and importance to their host plants.
The book is about more than just the scientific setting. It is also, and maybe mostly, about the places and people encountered along the way. It is part science, part natural history, part travelogue, part memoir. It may not appeal to a mass audience, but it is a fact that there are some who will be interested. These are the cycad enthusiasts, who are passionate in their pursuit of the latest works on cycads. It is likely that other people who are curious about organisms other than themselves, and places on the planet other than their own, and about science, and who can relate to the self-doubting quest for knowledge, will find the book interesting.
About the author
Doug Downie completed a PhD in Entomology at UC, Davis in 1999. He conducted research as a postdoc for 4 years, working on population genetics and molecular systematics of grape phylloxera, pseudomyrmex ants, and mealybugs. He took a position at Rhodes University in South Africa in 2003 and worked there until 2011. His work there included the cycad weevil work discussed in the book, as well as work in biocontrol. He moved back to the US in 2011 and worked as Senior Environmental Scientist at the California Environmental Protection Agency until retiring in 2019. He has published 7 books of fiction.
