I think this would also be an ideal guide for a beginner: the key is very straightforward to use and the explanations of technical terms are very clear. By only covering 200 wildflowers, it has a very limited scope. There is a handy short cut to flower identity (using for example number of petals or flower type) to help get you to the right section of the book, but you then have to work through the photos to try and pinpoint your plant, there are no keys. I have found the book straightforward to use and it is a good introduction to identification keys for those who have just started looking more closely at some of the plants they come across when they are out in the countryside. For those looking to gain more experience it may come in useful alongside other floras: it can sometimes be helpful to have more than one reference to enable you to confirm a tentative ID by following a different key or description. There are many reasons why correct identification to the level of species is important. For example, an endangered species may easily be mistaken for its similar looking, ubiquitous cousin and without proper identification we wouldn’t know to conserve it and thus it may be driven further into extinction as other plants compete for space, or the use of the land changes due to human activity. With the loss of a species, which is in itself a sad state of affairs, we also lose the genetic diversity and a host of other attributes known and undiscovered some of which may be of benefit to humankind through medicine, crop improvement, materials, etc.

This post is an extended version of “Field Guides to Inspire You,” featured in our Summer 2020 Special Edition of North East Nature. This special digital-only issue is available to everyone. There are a few words used in the main text, which are not to be found in the glossary. Examples are: aerial stems; crenate leaves; lenticels; septa; stipe and ternate. The second edition has been updated to take into account the current phylogenetic (i.e. using DNA) understanding of plant relationships. For example, Eyebrights ( Euphrasia spp.) and Yellow rattle ( Rhinanthus minor) are now placed within Orobanchaceae, whereas previously they were in Scrophulariaceae. Names have been updated, for example Galium mollugo is now called G. album, and Leontodon autumnale has been updated to Scorzoneroides autumnalis.This book is out of print but used copies are available from online retailers. Observer Book of Wildflowers I think this would be an ideal guide for a beginner: it’s very comprehensive covering a large number of species, and using photographs means it’s easier to compare with what you’re looking at in the field. It can be a bit frustrating when the photographs don’t include all parts of a plant that might help you identify it accurately. This little guide describes 200 species of wildflower that might be found during a walk in open country. The short introduction includes an explanation of the parts of a flower, and there is a glossary with explanations of terms used and drawings where appropriate. Recent research in molecular systematics using techniques of DNA sequencing has resulted in a revision of the family relationships between some species of plants. Much of this is a consequence of an international collaborative research project, the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group or APG. The APG system has now been incorporated into the most recent edition of Stace’s standard British flora and has been followed in this new edition of the Guide. In some cases, such as the splitting up of the Scrophulariaceae and the Liliaceae into a number of separate families, this has resulted in some unfamiliar changes although in many cases they had already been predicted by traditional taxonomy." The inclusion of ferns, mosses, grasses and conifer species in addition to wild flowers is a major plus, and makes this book indispensable for any budding or seasoned naturalist.

If I were to choose one guide for beginners, I think I would choose the Collins Complete Guide to Wildflowers. It is quite comprehensive (with the exception of trees) and the short cuts to flower identity, and use of proper photographs makes it very useable.Collins Wild Flower Guide is an indispensable guide for all those with an interest in the countryside, whether amateur or expert.