Orchids of Britain & Ireland – A field and site guide
Personally, I am not really into orchids, or flowers of any kind. But if I had any interest in orchids, this book would be the first in the bookcase. Aside from the sheer beauty of the flowers, the thing that appeals to me is some of the names. From the romantic Lindisfarne Helleborine to the mysterious Lesser Twayblade, the confusing Marsh Fragrant Orchid and the more straightforward Bog Orchid, many of the names are highly descriptive.
There are 56 species of wild orchid in Britain and Ireland (out of some 25,000 known species worldwide), and the book is 460 pages long; so that gives you an idea of the level of detail. Each species has details on identification, habitat, distribution and conservation, as well as colour photos.
There is also a guide to the best places in the UK to see orchids, and chapters on orchid biology, conservation & habitat.
Anne Harrap is a botanist with a Masters in Ecology. Simon Harrap is an ornithologist and naturalist, and author of several books, who has seen and photographed just about every orchid in this book.
Paperback RRP £24.99. To buy click Orchids of Britain and Ireland.
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