Author Description

"Getting to grips with the iconic and diverse (mostly) alpine genus Celmisia the third largest in the flora of Aotearoa/New Zealand can be a challenge. This comprehensively illustrated guide makes it easy to identify species, subspecies and varieties. Aimed at everyone with an interest in our alpine plants, this handy field guide takes a novel approach. Following an informative introduction, the first section identifies 17 broad groups based on plant form and leaf characteristics that can be seen in the field without magnification. The second section applies more detailed criteria to distinguish the species and subspecies within these groups. Often the distinguishing feature may be its distribution, and maps showing the geographical range could provide a quick identification. Species-by-species descriptions (including varieties, and with separate entries for subspecies) make up the bulk of the book. With over 900 photographs, most features described in the text are illustrated. The vexed questions of hybrids, unnamed entities and challenging lookalikes are also addressed." --Back cover.