Webb's an Irish Flora - Hardcover

"Distinguished Irish botanists John Parnell and Tom Curtis provide readers with a helpful, sturdy handbook on the subject of Irish flora, originally created almost seventy years ago by noted Irish botanist David Webb (1912 1994). This updated reference for the student and amateur botanist contains a clear guide toward the identification of the higher order of plants, growing wild in Ireland, as well as many of the commonly cultivated ones. There are some notable changes in this edition; among them, there is a reduction in the number of families from 132 to 118. The number of species and subspecies has risen to 1,543. Wisely, the authors have taken a step into clearing up the common language confusion. Common English names, currently in use, follow the scientific nomenclature, replacing literary and other forms of reference. Colorful illustrations occasionally identify species on pages in this comprehensive text."--Marilyn K. Alaimo, garden writer and volunteer "Chicago Botanic Garden Book Reviews ""

This handbook will provide the student or keen amateur with a clear and reliable means of identifying those plants which grow wild in Ireland. This book is a comprehensive re-working of the classic and standard Flora of Ireland: this will be the eight edition of that work. It has been brought fully up to date through incorporating the latest in botanical research and it reflects contemporary and modern approaches to plant classification based on recent advances in genetics. This book is about the higher plants that grow wild and which are commonly naturalised or otherwise encountered in Ireland. It is designed to facilitate their identification and provide background information on their morphology, distribution and rarity and to educate all those interested in recognising the species of the flora of Ireland. Previous editions of the book have been used by workers outside of the specific field of study of plant identification - such as environmental consultants, the general public, students, professional and amateur botanists etc. There is a genuine demand for a Flora whose subject matter refers explicitly to Ireland whilst placing that flora in a wider context. Furthermore, a concise flora of a discrete geographical area is of interest internationally to many professional and amateur botanists and gardeners. The book has, is and will be used in student training (it is used as a basic botanical text book in some Universities in Ireland) and on training courses for professionals wishing to improve their skills and for all those needing to improve their levels of botanical expertise.