Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney

by Les Robinson

Sydney's best-known and invaluable field guide to native plants is now in its third edition and completely updated. Refreshed by a new modern cover, this indispensable guide has been brought right up to date. It describes and illustrates over 1370 species. Information is given on the history, ecology, Aboriginal and European uses of each plant, together with references to literature and the journals of explorers. This field guide opens up Sydney's extraordinary rich flora to plant lovers, students, bushwalkers, gardeners and environmentalists, in fact to anyone who wants to identify a plant in the bush.

'I commend this book to all who would like to know our fascinating native plants better.' John Dengate

Genres: Nature, Reference, Nonfiction, Science, Australia

448 pages, Paperback

First published June 22, 1991

Reviews

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is known as the "bible" for those who want to identify native plants in the Sydney region. The group I belong to uses this as our key reference and I've been using it for years. It's in its third edition, which says it all. Yes, you do need to have a vague idea about a plant so you know what part of the book to look in, but the simple black and white drawings really help narrow down to a particular species. It has great info about each genus, the names behind plants, key characteristics for ID and also snippets about Aboriginal or early colonial uses. I just wish the font size in the index was a little larger. If this was my life's work, I would be happy.

It can also be used in conjunction with a field guide which has colour photos such as Native Plants of the Sydney Region by Fairley and Moore.

[Eliza · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney has great content about varies plants. However, it is a fairly useless Field Guide out in the field when you aren't sure what plant you are searching for. It doesn't have great sections and the diagrams/black and white images of the plants aren't clear enough to find what you might be looking for. I wouldn't personally recommend this for using it as a field guide.

[Dushan Hanuska · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little gem is a very comprehensive guidebook, well structured, containing helpful drawings of flowers and leaves, relative sizing to the human body. Yet, it still easily fits into one’s backpack.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fairly reasonable field guide for this region. It is possibly the best for carrying around while walking through the bush. However, it is out of date, with several changes in scientific names. The book also wasn't very well edited. There are a number of spelling mistakes throughout the book, and an entire group of plants has been left out of the list at the beginning. Several keys that are found within the book are also incomplete. Some of the drawings are a little misleading as well.

This book is a good starting point. Once you decide that you've found the correct plant, you should check any larger 'field guides' that you have that are too large to carry around.

[Velvetink]

*found today Retriever books $19 17.12.14