Plant Life Of Southwestern Australia

Southwestern Australia is unique as it contains the world’s most nutrient-impoverished soils, experiences a prolonged-summer period and the vegetation is extremely fire-prone. It is also world-renowned for its relative high level of flora biodiversity. This book focuses on the diverse range of morphological and physiological adaptations evolved by the flora to survive in the harsh Mediterranean-type climate.

"A thorough revision and expansion of Pate and Beard's Kwongan--Plant Life of the Sandplain (1984)"--Page 4 of cover.

Dr. John S. Beard came to Western Australia in 1961 as Foundation Director of the Botanic Garden being established in Perth's King's Park. The garden, which officially opened in 1965, has become one of Perth's major attractions for visitors and the local population. It has a scientific as well as a popular function, being principally devoted to study of native plants. First published in 1990, Plant Life of Western Australia grew out of a project that was developed with the assistance of Dr. Beard. The project became known as the Vegetation Survey of Western Australia, with the aim of mapping the plant life of the entire state. Any ecologist travelling through this stretch of country is not only aware of the plant species that are present and their arrangement into communities, but of the whole structure of the landscape, its geology, its forms in mountains, hills, and plains, and the climate, both past and present. Dr. Beard acquired an unrivalled knowledge of the landscapes and their plant cover over the immense area of Western Australia. Through the project, a series of vegetation maps were produced and the project was finally completed in 1981. About 200,000 km of land were covered by vehicle over the course of 17 years. This was more than an ordinary degree of awareness, therefore the first edition of the book was published with the desire of sharing the remarkable plant life of Western Australia with others. Following the death of Dr. John S. Beard in 2011, this new edition has been revised by Alex George and Neil Gibson. Dr. Beard originally took about 2,000 color slides over the course of his extensive botanical field work, and a selection of the best color illustrations are featured prominently in the book. *** Librarians: ebook available on ProQuest and EBSCO [Subject: Botany, Ecology, Horticulture, Australian Studies]

Written by former Director of King's Park Botanic Garden in Perth and leading botanical authority, this profusely illustrated study of plant life in Western Australia is structured in four main sections - the environment, the southwest province and southwestern interzone, the eremaean province and the northern province. Includes bibliographic information, a glossary and a detailed index.

The present publication is the first complete translation of "Die Pflanzenwelt von West-Australien, südlich des Wendekreises" by Diels. The translation makes this major work on the ecology, vegetation and biogeography of Western Australian plants now accessible to a wider, english speaking community. More than 100 years after the German edition of Diel‘s seminal work (Diels, 2006) is still remaining actual even if taxonomic classifications and ecological data have changed. The translation uses the original taxonomy and data published by Diels. Diels work presents the results of an expedition during 1901–1902. His study focuses on the inter-relationship of plant life in Western Australia. The own peculiar flora and fauna of the island continent Australia which was for a long time isolated from the rest of the world and their inhabitants is Diels main concern. His publication gives a short introduction in the vegetation of the whole Australian Continent, history and literature up to 1905, the geographic setting in Western Australia and a detailed overview and classification of the vegetation in the Southwest Province and the Eremaean Province. Diels study is closed by the presentation of the flora of extra-tropical Western Australia and its classification. The translation of Diel‘s study is added with an taxonomic update. To illustrate the vegetation changes since Diels‘ time, as many as possible of the original photographic sites that could be identified were revisited and new photographs were made (Lamont & Grieve, 1984).

West Australian Native Plants in Cultivation differs from other books written about the subject, because this text is based on actual experience in Western Australia and its flora. The book describes the cultivation of some of the plants that grow naturally in the region. The text starts with a background of the State and its flora, with some description of these plants as being successfully grown in other parts of the country and the world. The book lists the common and botanical names of the plants for easy identification, as well as the existence of the ""Society for Growing Australian Plants,"" which keeps records of plant growth and conditions. The text then offers tips in growing these native plants. The book shows where to collect, process, store, and treat hard-coated seeds. The text then explains propagating using the seed, transplanting the seedlings, and propagating the plant by other means such as cuttings and rootings. The book does not miss on how to take care of the plant through proper watering, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, and controlling pests. The text gives other useful information such as the localities where a type of plant can be found, as well as the kinds of plants that can be grown for special purposes. Agriculturists, plant lovers, botanists, and home-makers will find this guide useful and interesting.

Victoria Laurie offers us in words and pictures the southwest of Australia, a land triangle that encompasses a multitude of natural worlds.

For many years Plants of the Kimberley Region of Western Australia has been an important resource for pastoral managers and rangeland advisors in managing vegetation and land issues. This revised edition includes changes to 50 plant names, and also updates the introductory sections about the Kimberley region and the principles of rangeland management. The 240 species covered in the book are organized in three sections: grasses and herbs, shrubs, and trees, and constitute a unique flora not dealt with in any other single text. With its straightforward text and excellent photographs, this book is a valuable reference for students of ecology and range science as well as appealing to nature-lovers, conservationists and travelers in the Kimberley region.