AuthorGarrard I. & Streeter D.T.
Year1998
TitleThe Wild Flowers of the British Isles
ISBN1 900732 03 3
TypeBook/Report
How CompleteEvery UK native and quite a few alien species of wild flower (except grasses, sedges, rushes, trees and some shrubs) is covered, although for the apomicts (Rubus, Hieracium, Taraxacum) only representatives of each section are included.
Source2 edition, 328pp, Midsummer Books
Illustrations102 double page spreads of excellent water colours illustrating 1,400 plants.
Review (by Malcolm Storey)

The authors suggest this coffee table book is complementary to a standard flora. I have to agree: the wonderful water colours are the best I’ve seen (at least in the 1998 2nd edition - thistles on the front cover). The first edition used the taxonomy from CTW, but in the second edition (1998) this has been brought into line with Stace’s New Flora.

Although the illustrations are the primary attraction, the short species accounts contain interesting ecological and distribution information as well as amusing snippets and are well worth reading. Although the species entries do not include descriptions, useful identification tips are interspersed, but there are no keys or other formal identification aids.

The book has a similar "feel" to Keble Martin’s "Concise British Flora In Colour" and those who remember that work will find this a worthy successor.

The only minor criticisms are that white petals tend to disappear into the white background and the text, particularly the index, is tightly set in four columns of small print.

Examinein the field in the field

Notes & PurposeStatusTaxonEnglishClassification
For identificationCurrentMAGNOLIOPSIDAflowering plantsPlantae
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