What is an accessible book about plant evolution for a non-biologist?

Question

I have an acquaintance interested in learning about the evolution history of plants. This person has a wide knowledge on botanics, from personal reading and taking care of plants, but E is neither a biologist or a biology student. Based on this, which is an accessible book to non-biologist that can be used to learn about the evolution of plants?

Answer 1

A great place to start is Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire. It uses four specific plants--potatoes, tulips, apples, and marijuana--to discuss how and why those plants evolved (and, yes, were bred) in response to human "desire." Pollan is a wonderful writer; he is not a scientist himself, but he is enough of a journalist to do his research responsibly. I haven't read any others personally, and I hesitate to recommend something I haven't read myself--but now I'm curious and may well track down a few titles that have been recommended by others.