Useful Plant Book

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31753, 9 August 1968, Page 6

Useful Plant Book

New Zealand Flowering Plante. By Marguerite Johnson. Published by M. M. Johnson, Hataitai, Wellington. 196 pp.

Although this book at first glance may be dismissed as yet another publication on New Zealand flora, closer examination will reveal that it contains much commendable material.

The book comprises about 80 pages of pen and ink illustrations of the flowers, fruits, foliage of New Zealand plants, and in some cases the plant itself, representative of 70 plant families, which are each accompanied by a facing page of text. Apart from a brief description of each plant illustrated, and where it is to be found, a wealth of concisely detailed additional information is given concerning the plant, others of the species and the family to which it belongs. Although not as exhaustive in its treatment as the title may suggest, the book nevertheless provides not only Interesting but educative reading. For Instance, one can learn of common introduced plants that belong to plant families found in New Zealand, or perhaps the economic uses made of certain parts of the particular plant The drawings of flowers and fruit are mostly helpful and accurate, enabling identification to be made, but many of the leaves shown are not always typical, particularly a* there is considerable difference to be found in juvenile and adult forms. A typical example of this fault can be given in the case of Knightia excelsa (rewa rewa) where adult leaves only are illustrated. Not many aspiring botanists would come across other than the juvenile forms, as the older leaves are well out of reach. Again there seems to be somewhat over-emphasis on the North Island, and there 1* an occasional misspelt name.

Generally, however, this book represents good value for the price.