Plant Life Of Western Australia

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.

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

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.

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).

Includes information on Adansonia gregorii or Baobab p. 368-369.

The city of Perth is well known and treasured for its areas of protected bushland in the heart of the city. Kings Park and Bold Park represent a significant part of the natural heritage of the Swan Coastal Plain and are an important part of city life. The city is also a gateway to the incredible biodiversity to be found in south-west Western Australia. Perth Plants provides a comprehensive photographic guide to all plants known to occur in the bushlands of Kings Park and Bold Park, both native plants and naturalised weeds. There are 778 species included, representing approximately one-quarter of all the plants in the greater Perth region, and one-tenth of all species known for the south-west of Western Australia. This new edition contains 22 additional species and updated photography throughout. It is an essential reference for anyone interested in the plants of south-west Western Australia, and particularly the Swan Coastal Plain.

Australian Native Plants provides a comprehensive guide to the horticulture of our native plants. Based on nearly 50 years of experience at Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, the book describes the necessary growing conditions for mainly Western Australian native plants and covers some of the more technical aspects such as plant propagation and grafting, the use and benefits of tissue culture, methods of seed collection and storage, and the role of smoke in improving germination. Western Australia is home to about five per cent of the world’s vascular plants and contains Australia’s only terrestrial ‘biodiversity hotspot’. Written by experts with an in-depth knowledge of how to grow these plants outside their natural habitat, Australian Native Plants provides the more technically minded professional or enthusiast with information based on decades of research, experimentation and application. It aims to encourage the growing of Australian plants so that they can be used more widely and contribute to interesting, attractive and diverse private gardens and public landscapes in a changing environment.