====== Field guides and reference books ====== ===== Australian Plants ===== ** Olde, P and Marriott, N**, //**The Grevillea Book** (3 vols)//. **Kangaroo Press, 1994. ISBN 0 86417 325 3** Absolutely superb 3 volume set with details and photos of every Grevillea species in Australia as known at the time of publication. The authors are the acknowledged Australian Grevillea experts and undertake research every year for new species,with frequent trips to WA where most species are located. Volume 1 includes cultivation information and a history of Grevillea research since European discovery of this country. Available from the authors and specialty bookshops including state branches of the Australian Plants Societies. Highly recommended, and a bargain. ---- ==== Central Australia ==== **Blombery, A.M. (1989). //The flowers of Central Australia//. Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst. ISBN 0 86417 244 3. 64 pp.** Handy short guide to some of the common species of wildflowers, trees and ferns of the Centre. Colour photographs. **Urban, A. (1990). //Wildflowers and plants of Central Australia//. Portside Editions, Melbourne. ISBN 0 949318 03 5. 240 pp.** Very useful, pocket-sized guide covering a large number of desert species. Species arranged by family. Colour photographs. ---- ==== New South Wales ==== **Native Plants of the Sydney District - An Identification Guide** by Alan Fairley and Philip Moore, published by Kangaroo Press P/L in association with The Society for Growing Australian Plants NSW Ltd.\\ **ISBN** 0 86417 261 3. An identification guide to the native plants of the Greater Sydney district, with an area which extends from Newcastle to Nowra and west to the Great Dividing Range. It contains colour photographs and descriptions of about 1500 species, including ferns, herbs, sedges, grasses, shrubs and trees. It has a simple readable style for beginners. ---- ==== Queensland ==== **Anderson, E. (1993). //Plants of central Queensland: their identification and uses//. Department of Primary Industry, Brisbane. ISBN 0 7242 3990 1. 272 pp.** This book has easy-to-use keys to common and/or agriculturally-important species of central Queensland (along the Tropic of Capricorn). Species are arranged alphabetically by scientific name within growth forms. As well as covering the usual suspects, it includes cacti and water plants. Colour photographs. **Jackes, B.R. (1987). //Plants of Magnetic Island: mangroves, dunes and woodlands//. Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville. ISBN 0 86443 235 6. 141 pp.** Illustrated keys to the species of flowering plants on Magnetic Island, near Townsville. Includes list of ferns. Illustrations are B & W photocopies. **Jackes, B.R. (1991). //Plants of the tropical rainforest: Mt Spec area, North Queensland//. James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville. ISBN 0 86443 359 X. 81 pp.** Intended as an instruction manual for JCU botany students, this is a good resource for anyone trying to identify plants in the southern Wet Tropics. Sections cover plant identication (illustrated descriptions of the key features of flowers, fruit, leaves and bark); keys to families; characteristic features of families; foliicolous lichens (includes key to genera); bryophytes (includes key to genera); ferns (includes key to species); Webb’s (1978) key to structural types of Australian rainforest vegetation; and provisional key to plants of the Paluma – Hidden Valley ecotone to Running River. Line drawings. **Lovelock, C. (1993). //Field guide to the mangroves of Queens//land. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville. ISBN 0 642 18502 6. 72 pp.** Useful pocket-sized guide to the common plant species of NE Australian mangrove swamps. Species are arranged by stem shape and form of roots, e.g. stilt roots, buttresses, peg roots) to assist identification. Good illustrations of seeds and propagules. Paintings and line drawings. **Tracey, J.G. (1982). //The vegetation of the humid tropical region of North Queensland//. CSIRO, Melbourne. ISBN 0 643 004 24 6. 124 pp.** This is a scientific publication that classifies the different vegetation types of NE Queensland from Ingham to Cooktown. It describes 24 types (53 subtypes) of rainforest and other vegetation. Details on occurrence, reference area, floristics and variability is provided for each category. Reproduces Webb’s (1978) key to structural types of rainforest vegetation. Also includes information on climate and geology. Line drawings, black and white photographs. ---- ==== South Australia ==== **The Dynamic Partnership - Birds and Plants in Southern Australia** / Edited by H.A. Ford and D.C.Paton / Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia. **The Ecology Of The Forests And Woodlands Of South Australia** / Edited by H.R.Wallace D.Sc.F.A.A. / Department of Plant Pathology / Waite Agricultural Research Institute - The University Of Adelaide. **Flora of South Australia. Part I.** Lycopodiaceae-Rosaceae. Edited by J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken. Published by the South Australian Government Printing Division. Adelaide. Approx. 480 pages. The official publication of the SA Herbarium, covering the Flora of SA. Most plants, or important floral features are illustrated. This volume contains the key to all the families, plus additional keys to species described within this volume. It also includes a Glossary of Botanical Terms. **Flora of South Australia. Part II.** Leguminosae-Rubiaceae. Edited by J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken. Published by the South Australian Government Printing Division. Adelaide. Approx. 630 pages. The official publication of the SA Herbarium, covering the Flora of SA. Most plants, or important floral features are illustrated. This volume contains the key to all species described within this volume, plus a Glossary of Botanical Terms. **Flora of South Australia. Part III.** Polemoniaceae-Compositae. Edited by J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken. Published by the South Australian Government Printing Division. Adelaide. Approx. 570 pages. The official publication of the SA Herbarium, covering the Flora of SA. Most plants, or important floral features are illustrated. This volume contains the keys to species described within this volume, plus a Glossary of Botanical Terms. **Flora of South Australia. Part IV.** Alismataceae-Orchidaceae. Edited by J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken. Published by the South Australian Government Printing Division. Adelaide. Approx. 560 pages. The official publication of the SA Herbarium, covering the Flora of SA. Most plants, or important floral features are illustrated. This volume contains the key to all species described within this volume. It also contains the cumulative Index and a Glossary of Botanical Terms. ---- ==== South-eastern Australia (SA, Vic, ACT, NSW, Tas) ==== **Australian Plants Society Maroondah Inc. (2001). //Flora of Melbourne: a guide to the indigenous plants of the greater Melbourne area//. 3rd edition. Hyland House, Flemington. 395 pp.** This book is primarily a guide for regeneration projects. It provides detailed information on plant communities in the Melbourne area (bordered by the Werribee River, Melton, Craigieburn, Hurstbridge, Silvan, Cranbourne and Mt Eliza; soils; regeneration; weed control; seed collection and plant propagation. Hundreds of plants are described and illustrated. Line drawings, colour photographs. **Calder, M. & Calder, J. (1994). //The forgotten forests: a field guide to Victoria’s box and ironbark country//. ISBN 1 875100 08 3. 120 pp.** Informative guide to the ecological communities and plants of this forest type, now restricted to isolated stands between Ararat and Wodonga. Colour photographs. **Costermans, L. //Native trees and shrubs of south-eastern Australia//. Reed New Holland, Frenchs Forest. ISBN 1 876334 64 9. 424 pp.** An indispensable guide to almost a thousand species of larger plants of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The first two sections introduce the region including areas of special botanical interest: the far South-East; the Pigeon House (near Ulladulla, NSW); Mount Buffalo; the High Country; Wilson’s Promontory; the Grampians; Wyperfeld NP (far NW Vic); and the Flinders Ranges. The third section includes a guide to the species by region. The fourth section is a detailed guide to all species of trees and shrubs. Acacias and eucalypts are dealt with separately. Colour photographs, B & W photographs, line illustrations, maps. 2006 - updated with a CD-ROM supplement. Profits are donated to the Victorian National Park Association. Contents include new discoveries, name changes & distribution. 216 colour photos, locality map, web links, print friendly. **Duncan, B.D. & Isaac, G. (1986). //Ferns and allied plants of Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia//. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne. ISBN 0 522 84595 9. 269 pp.** Very detailed survey of the ferns, fork-ferns and clubmosses of south-eastern Australia. Includes an illustrated key and information on cultivation. Each description includes field characters, range and a map showing distribution in Victoria (despite the title). B & W photographs, colour photographs, line drawings. **Launceston Field Naturalists Club. (1981). //A guide to the flowers and plants of Tasmania//. Reed Books, Chatswood. ISBN 0 7301 0169 X. 120 pp.** Handy guide to common Tasmania species arranged by habitat (montane, rainforest, wet sclerophyll, widespread, river banks and wet places, dry sclerophyll and coastal heath. No key but a good glossary and line drawings illustrating leaf shape and other characteristics used in identification. Colour photographs. **Lunt, I., Barlow, T. & Ross, J. (1998). //Plains wandering: exploring the grassy plains of south-eastern Australia//. Victorian National Parks Association & Trust for Nature, Melbourne. ISBN 1 875100 12 1. 152 pp.** Excellent pocket-sized guide to the grassland plants of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Colour photographs. **Society for Growing Australian Plants: Keilor Plains Group. (1995). //Plants of Melbourne’s western plains: a gardener’s guide to the original flora//. ISBN 0 909830 48 7. 75 pp.** Common species of grassland plants listed in alphabetical order by scientific names with descriptions of landscape use. Very useful appendices listing suppliers of plants and friends groups in the west of the state. Colour photographs. ---- ==== Top End (NT and WA) ==== **Brock, J. (1993). //Native plants of northern Australia//. Reed, Chatswood. ISBN 0 7301 0407 9. 355 pp.** Too heavy to take into the field but a good resource for the bookshelf. Covers plants and plant communities from sandstone escarpments to mangroves in the Top End. The focus is on the Northern Territory, but many of the plants described are also found in northern WA. Species are arranged in alphabetical order by scientific name. Descriptions include notes on habitat, cultivation and indigenous use. Colour photographs. **Clark, M. & Traynor, S. (1987). //Plants of the tropical woodland//. Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory, Darwin. ISBN 0 7245 0663 2. 132 pp.** A short guide to the most frequently-encountered species of the woodlands of the Top End. Species are arranged in alphabetical order by scientific name. This book concentrates on trees, but includes some shrubs and smaller plants. Line drawings. **Petheram, R.J. & Kok, B. (1983). //Plants of the Kimberley region of Western Australia//. University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands. ISBN 0 85564 215 7. 556 pp.** Species arranged alphabetically by scientific name within growth forms (grasses and herbs; woody shrubs and shrubby trees; trees). Includes comments on agricultural value. Colour photographs. **Wightman, G.M. & Andrews, M.R. (1989). Plants //of the Northern Territory monsoon vine forests (volume 1)//. Conservation Council of the Northern Territory, Darwin. ISBN 0 7245 0687 X. 163 pp.** Concentrates on species found close to Darwin but useful for monsoon vine forests and thickets across the Top End. Species are arranged in alphabetical order by scientific name within growth habit (tree, shrub, climber, palm, fern, herb). Line drawings. ---- ==== Western Australia ==== **Flora of the Perth Region. Part One.** By N.G. Marchant, J.R. Wheeler, B.L. Rye, E.M. Bennett, N.S. Lander & T.D. Macfarlane. Published by the WA Herbarium. Perth. Approx. 580 pages. A bit technical, but a very comprehensive coverage of the Perth Region that covers the coastal strip from Guilderton (north of Perth), to Boyanup (south of Perth) and inland to include the Darling Scarp. As this area is highly floriferous, many species are to be found further afield, so these references can also be useful to obtain detailed information of much of the flora in the SouthWest of WA. This volume contains the key to families, plus keys to genera and the species described within this volume. There are numerous illustrations, although most species are only described. **Flora of the Perth Region. Part Two.** By N.G. Marchant, J.R. Wheeler, B.L. Rye, E.M. Bennett, N.S. Lander & T.D. Macfarlane. Published by the WA Herbarium. Perth. Approx. 500 pages. A bit technical, but a very comprehensive coverage of the Perth Region that covers the coastal strip from Guilderton (north of Perth), to Boyanup (south of Perth) and inland to include the Darling Scarp. As this area is highly floriferous, many species are to be found further afield, so these references can also be useful to obtain detailed information of much of the flora in the South West of WA. This volume contains the keys to genera and the species described within this volume. There are numerous illustrations, although most species are only described. **Flora of the South West: Bunbury - Augusta - Denmark.** 2 Volumes. Judy Wheeler, Neville Marchant and Margaret Lewington. UWA Press, 2002. Flora of Australia Supplementary Series Number 12. ISBN 0642 56816 2 The most recent and comprehensive key and guide to the flora of the **SW coastal plains and jarrah and karri forest regions**. Very easy to follow, less technical than Blackall and Grieve which it supercedes. Expensive, but fascinating and encyclopaedic. **Flowers and Plants of Western Australia**. R Erickson, AS George, NG Marchant and MK Morcombe. Reed,1973. ISBN 0 589 50116 X. An out-of-print classic, with a number of revised reprint editions, by some of the big names of WA botany. Pictorial, easy to follow guide to some of the iconic WA wildflowers and many of the lesser known ones of the entire state, including the north and desert regions. Divided into geographical zones, with a scholarly introduction to each region. Available from second hand bookshops or eBay, and a must-have for anybody interested in WA plants and environment.