A Flora of Tiree, Gunna and Coll by D.A. Pearman and C.D. Preston

A Flora of Tiree, Gunna and Coll offers an extensive list of plants that have been recorded on these islands. The first detailed record from Tiree dates back to 1841, with published accounts from all three islands starting in the early 1940s. The book is impressive in its meticulousness and deals very honestly with any "doubtful records".

It summarises the distribution of plants, with special emphasis placed on recent records, and also looks at habitation, land use and plant geography, with some interesting comparisons between the islands.

Aside from the eye-catchingly beautiful cover of Yellow Flag on Coll, the book contains no illustrations or photos. On this level it presumes prior knowledge or sufficient interest to independently investigate the look of a plant. While this is therefore not a book to identify plants by when out walking, I found it an informative read and am sufficiently inspired to delve into books and surf the net for visual references.

The book received support from Glasgow Natural History Society, Scottish Natural Heritage and the RSPB, and is dedicated to the late Mrs Joan Clark, to whom a tribute is paid on page 74.

Copies can be ordered from Mrs A.V. Pearman, The Old Rectory, Frome St Quinton, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 OHF EG