The appearance of the first seeds some 360 million years ago was a momentous step in the evolution of land plants. Since then they have evolved into highly sophisticated structures that have enabled plants to conquer almost every habitat from the Antarctic to the hottest deserts. True time capsules of life, seeds may travel thousands of miles and, if necessary, wait for hundreds of years before germinating. They range from the giant Seychelles nut that weighs twenty kilos to the tiny dust-like seeds of orchids and include the mesmerizing blue seeds of the Malagasy Traveller’s Tree, the perfectly aerodynamic wafer-thin gliders of the Monkey Pod and, most extraordinary, the seeds of the parasitic Desert Hyacinth that resemble a miniature honeycomb. In this informative and enthralling book, artist Rob Kesseler and seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank present a natural history of seeds, illustrated with stunning close-up photographs and scanning electron micrographs that reveal an astonishing microcosm where the tiniest examples are the most beautiful and sophisticated. Seeds constitutes a treasure trove to enlighten and inspire both those fascinated by the natural world and artists, designers, and indeed scientists.   Published in collaboration with Kew Royal Botanic Gardens.