Links
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.auThe Plant Information Network System of the Botanic Gardens Trust.
Compiled and edited by staff of the National Herbarium of New South Wales
Links from the Plant Information Network System will take anywhere you need to go for authoritative Australian plant identification information available on the internet.
http://asgap.org.au
Australian Native Plants Society (Australia)
If you are interested in the cultivation, propagation, conservation and appreciation of Australia's native flora spend some time here.
http://ala.org.au
The Atlas of Living Australia
The Atlas project is a partnership between the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Australian natural history collections community and the Australian Government. Learn more » Many of the images on sassafras.id.au can now be found in the the Atlas of Living Australia.
On the ALA website you can combine species distribution information with mapping tools, identification keys, photos, names lists, sensitive data service (coming) and published literature. You can create a list and/or map of the species living in a particular area, such as within 1 or 5 kms of your home, find where you live and put a tick in the correct box. You can also look up more information on any plant or animal you know the name of.
My reference books
Plants Birds Animals Other reference booksReferences
The Bone Readers Claudia Tuniz, Richard Gillespie & Cheryl JonesISBN 978 1 74114 728 5 (pbk)
Published 2009
In this book the authors tie together various research results, up to 2008, tracing Homo sapiens migrations from Africa across the Earth as it was during the migrations, with varying sea levels and climate regimes, to Australia, among other places. They also give some answers about our impact on this continent during the last 50 millenia or so, especially in the first millenia after arrival. There are also numerous discussions on the relative merits and advances in various dating and DNA extraction techniques because they are crucial to the story.
Allen & Unwin
http://allenandunwin.com
Plant Books
All of the books listed below have a wealth of information in them other than just about identifying particular plants.
Some are available from some bookshops, though Australian botanic gardens book shops are more likely to have all of them on their shelves at any one time. Most are available online from the publishers and you will find other plant books on their sites that will be of interest.
Plants of the Forest floor Penny Watsford, Margaret Elliot, Robert Price and Lui Weber
ISBN 0 9756823 1 8
First published 2006 Reprinted 2007, 2008
This tough A5 sized spiral bound book is made to be taken out with you. It has most excellent illustrations, the descriptions are truly complementary, conversational in nature and highly descriptive by themselves.
Then there is the included CD-ROM! The excellent photos cover all the plants in the book and lists their page numbers and has many more than what is in the book. Listed in botanical name order with accompanying common name and page reference if it is in the book. This is an extremely useful resource by itself.
Just a glance through it confirms we have very few weed species inside the forest and our lawn areas are being overtaken by worts of various sorts, a good thing. This small book and CD, a recent purchase, fills a big hole in my library. With it I can walk through the bush and start to read what is there much more completely. In the begining it can be a little overwhelming, they just keep flooding in as you walk, sensory overload or maybe just an epiphany. And this is the stuff on the ground I've seen for years.
It does not have a search function, this is a minor point, there are not that many plants to search through if you need to, or, you could preview just the images in a file browser (select large or extra large icons) before going back to the included software for the accompanying text and other images in the set. Whether this file browsing technique is faster for searching or not depends on how much grunt your computer has.
Nullum Publications
http://nullumpublications.com.au
Australian Rainforest Plants Nan & Hugh Nicholson
ISBN 0 9589436 2 1(Set)
A series of at least 6 small books of around 70 pages each, with excellent photos and brief descriptions of the plants.
The first was published, first edition, in 1985. The sixth was first published in 2004.
My collection of their books has grown gradually since we moved to Sassafras and needed help in identifying the plants. A most useful reference once I have narrowed down the possible list of suspects.
http://rainforestpublishing.com.au
Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia David L. Jones
ISBN 0 7301 0113 4
Published 1986
I have had this one for quite some time, probably from around the early 90s. I remember thinking I'll get this one because I knew of the author as someone heavily involved in rainforest plant research from my time in the Plant Records section at ANBG. Excellent photos, many line drawings and good descriptions however it is aimed at those wanting rainforest plants as an ornamental so some of the heights given are a little low in the rainforest situation.
This book is no longer in publication and has been superceded by other books that David has authored or co-authored over the years.
Reed Books Pty. Ltd.
c
Published 1984 This has now been superseded by the following book by the same authors.
There were actually 3 books in this series, this one, the Red Book, is about "Trees & Shrubs", another about "Rainforest Climbing Plants" and another "How to identify plants" which is rather useful in deciphering the jargon (otherwise known as learning) that is used to precisely identify plants in any of the other books I have.
Originally they were 3 thin books, A4 size, staple bound. This series was my first port of call when I came in the door with a new specimen.
They were generally indispensable in a quest to identify what you may have. Large line drawings and good descriptions. From these publications I was often be left with only 2 or 3 possibilities, if I was lucky I had only one candidate.
Printed by the University of New England Printery.
Rainforest Trees and Shrubs Gwen Harden Bill McDonald John Williams
ISBN 09775553 0 5
Published 2006
"A field guide to their identification"
This is a greatly expanded and extended version of the Red Book listed above. How much more? As a guide there are now descriptions and illustrations provided for 850 species, an increase of 309 over the Red Book. My comments above about the usefulness still apply, only the title has changed.
They have also published a much expanded version of Rainforest Climbing Plants. For a good preview go to
http://rainforests.net.au
Gwen Harden Publishing
Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia A.G. Floyd
ISBN 9780958943673 (hbk).
First Published 1989, Forestry Commission of New South Wales
Revised edition 2008
A most detailed publication. All plants covered have line drawings and a detailed description. While I find the keys in Trees & Shrubs in Rainforests of New South Wales & Southern Queensland easier to use I will use this book to narrow down possibilities. The descriptions are most excellent and complete. From here I will turn to my picture books for more final determination, then come back here if I'm still not sure, and usually even if I am to find out more about what I've just found.
The Revised edition of course has the name changes of the preceeding 19 years, there are a few :-) There are quite a few more pages, information has been revised in some descriptions, layout has been improved and overall there is more information. The paper is now water resistant, very useful in a damp climate.
Alex Floyd is the author of a number of other books about rainforests.
http://rainforestpublishing.com.au
Terania Rainforest Publishing
Lismore, Australia
Bird Books
Field Guide to Australian Birds Michael Morcombe
ISBN 1 876181 10 X
First Published 2000, reprinted 2001
This book covers everything I want to know about a bird, what does it look like and sound like. Where does it live, habitat and extent. What does the nest look like. I remember when we bought it there was another similar publication for a similar price on the shelves, we stood there for 5 minutes or so comparing a few birds and other features.
Originally published by
Steve Parish Publishing Pty. Ltd.
For details on paper and iPhone optimised versions
http://michaelmorcombe.com.au
Animal Books
Tracks, Scats and Other Traces Barbara Triggs
ISBN 978 0 19 555099 3
First Published 1996
Reprinted 1997 (twice),1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003
Revised edition 2004
Reprinted 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
This is the book to get in Australia if you want to figure out what animal passed by (or died) on the ground where you are. So long as it was native, warm blooded and not a bird. Poo, bones, tracks, shelters and maps of where you will find them in Australia. You will need something else if you want to know what the animal looks like, but you will know what you are looking for after looking at the signs in this book.
Oxford University Press
Australia and New Zealand
http://oup.com.au
