fieldguides

[valiantbirder]

hi all,

as part of my uni course i need to learn how to identify a group of plants of my choice, ie flowering plants, shrubs, grasses etc. i already have a field guide on british wildflowers, but i could do with one for grasses and one for trees, does anyone have any recommendations? keep in mind im pretty much learning from scratch so i could do with something that doesn't throw me in at the deep end.

thanks in advance

adam

[PeterK]

Hi

A Field Guide to the TREES of Britain and Europe

By Alan Mitchell pub Collins.

its an excellent book, we use it all the time, good descriptions, excellent pics and keys

Grasses are a nightmare, there are like fungi to many, never found a really good guide yet. We use the web for them.

Good Luck Peter

[valiantbirder]

thanks for that peter, i can always ask my lecturer which field guide he uses and recommends for grasses. just wanted a few more insights from other people instead of just taking my lecturers word on what book to use.

adam

[aeshna5]

thanks for that peter, i can always ask my lecturer which field guide he uses and recommends for grasses. just wanted a few more insights from other people instead of just taking my lecturers word on what book to use.

adam

There is a new grass book due soon by Kew's expert on them- Tom Cope. May be worth waiting to have a look at this. At Uni I used Hubbard. Like the Rose book which also covers ferns, sedges + rushes.

[Surreybirder]

Roger Phillips' 2006 book, "Mushrooms", is about the best, I'm told, for fungi of Britain.
I have Collins Field Guide to the trees of Britain and northern Europe, which may be an older book. But it's very good.

[PeterK]

Hi Phillips is a good guide to fungi, its on the web now as well, we use, it but the keys are not really good enough, but it is excellent for pics and descriptions, quite a favourite with the North West Fungi Group, quick plug here folks.

Peter