I think that if in some imaginable cataclysm I had to get rid of my flower identification books this one would still cling to my shelves. It contains about 1500 species in superbly clear and accurate photographs, either specimens laid out in studio or, in the case of rare and/or threatened species, photographed in situ (precise location naturally, in these cases, withheld). Each photograph is accompanied by a brief but informative text, giving English name, Latin name(s), and family; geographical distribution in the British Isles; local distribution (eg "found in woods and shady places on calcareous soil"); various physical details such as height or colour variation; flowering/fruiting periods.

The book is arranged, unusually for popular floras, with the specimens grouped according to date, to cover a ten-month period, January to October; so the first specimen is Flowering Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) and the last Red Horse Chestnut (Aesculus carnea). This arrangement by time of year makes it very useful for fieldwork; although the large size (29x21cm) precludes stuffing it into a pocket. Plants are cross-referenced to other members of the genus and occasionally to other families where identification confusion may occur. Each full-page photograph includes a scale. There is a brief Introduction, including a list of legally protected species (as per the 1975 Act in my copy); glossary of botanical terms; comprehensive indexes; short bibliography. 192pp paperback; colour illustrations throughout.