This wild flower identification guide was first published in 1981 and is still widely accepted as the best of its kind for its combination of meticulous illustrations and the use of keys to aid recognition. For this new edition the Latin names have been revised in accordance with the current classification system. It is now published as the ideal book for the serious student of British and north-west European wild plants, providing a bridge between picture identification guides and the non-illustrated academic floras.
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About the Author
Original author
Dr Francis Rose, MBE
Dr Rose is one of our best-known botanists, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the lichen and bryophyte flora as well as of flowering plants, and of plant ecology and biogeography. His career as a botanist began at the age of six, learning to identify plants on country walks and after graduating in botany from London University, he spent most of his working life teaching there until retirement in 1981. This remains his most popular book, which took over 20 years to write and represents a lifetime's experience of plant identification.
Author of revised and expanded second edition
Clare O'Reilly
Clare O'Reilly (previously Coleman) is a freelance botanist and writer who left her career as an environmental lawyer in order to revise this book. She recently gained an MSc in Plant Taxonomy but was a self-taught amateur botanist for many years. Her passion for plants began after winning a wild flower-in-a-vase competition, aged seven. Clare teaches beginners courses on plant identification and this experience, coupled with Dr Rose's expertise in the original text, enables this revised edition to be even more useful for those new to field botany.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
218 of 220 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The latest edition of a standard popular field guide to flowers of the British Isles
13 Sep 2006
Format:Paperback
The first edition of Rose's "Wild Flower Key" appeared 25 years ago, immediately becoming one of the handiest illustrated plant guides ever produced and about the best available for British flowering plants. It covered all native and long-naturalised flowering plants of the British Isles except for grasses, sedges and rushes in addition to the commoner plants of NW Europe. That added up to 1450 species covered.
The second edition is similar to the first in most respects and builds on the strengths of the previous edition. In fact, it is so similar that I think I could have got by with my old, well-thumbed first edition copy. As one would guess from the title, this guide has a strong emphasis on keys, and they are meant to be used in plant identification - together with the text and illustrations, of course. There is a 23 page general key to families at the beginning of the book and additional keys throughout that treat important families and genera. In this edition, some groups are provided with entirely new keys. However, the 51 pages of vegetative keys by habitat remain unchanged. I used the keys of the first edition a lot and found them to be very good indeed.
As for the plates, most of them are unchanged, although the quality of printing appears to have improved somewhat. The illustrations are simple, clear, detailed and ideally suited to plant identification. In some cases there are new line drawings comparing the key features of similar species. The succinct text is set opposite the illustrations, so that all information on a species is found on a single page spread. The text has been revised and there are new "ID tips" boxes to highlight differences between similar species.... Read more ›
The second edition is similar to the first in most respects and builds on the strengths of the previous edition. In fact, it is so similar that I think I could have got by with my old, well-thumbed first edition copy. As one would guess from the title, this guide has a strong emphasis on keys, and they are meant to be used in plant identification - together with the text and illustrations, of course. There is a 23 page general key to families at the beginning of the book and additional keys throughout that treat important families and genera. In this edition, some groups are provided with entirely new keys. However, the 51 pages of vegetative keys by habitat remain unchanged. I used the keys of the first edition a lot and found them to be very good indeed.
As for the plates, most of them are unchanged, although the quality of printing appears to have improved somewhat. The illustrations are simple, clear, detailed and ideally suited to plant identification. In some cases there are new line drawings comparing the key features of similar species. The succinct text is set opposite the illustrations, so that all information on a species is found on a single page spread. The text has been revised and there are new "ID tips" boxes to highlight differences between similar species.... Read more ›
107 of 109 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The second edition of this classsic guide has been long coming: in 25 years since the book was published, many people are surprised to learn that there have been many changes to our knowledge of wild plants.
Many features used in identification have been shown to be inaccurate. Scientific names have changed. Many non-native species have become relatively widespread.
This second edition does differ dramatically from the first, but it's all in the detail:
1. there are over 100 new line drawings of diagnostic parts of plants;
2. there are 150 new colour plant portraits;
3. over a third of the genera keys have been re-written as many did not work!
4. national referees (i.e. top experts) have written keys for difficult groups such as willowherbs and water-starworts;
5. there are completely new keys, which did not appear in the old edition e.g. to fine-leaved mayweeds;
6. the new introduction is twice as long, with much additional information to assist beginners;
7. the new glossary is three times as long, packed with new line illustrations;
8. there are new features to assist those working in conservation, such as marking plants as BAP species and with their protected species and/or red list status;
9. there is a compilation of the lastest research on ancient woodland indicator species;
10. the new edition includes extra identification tips, from the new author's experience and from specialist publications like Plant Crib, not published in any other field guide.... Read more ›
Many features used in identification have been shown to be inaccurate. Scientific names have changed. Many non-native species have become relatively widespread.
This second edition does differ dramatically from the first, but it's all in the detail:
1. there are over 100 new line drawings of diagnostic parts of plants;
2. there are 150 new colour plant portraits;
3. over a third of the genera keys have been re-written as many did not work!
4. national referees (i.e. top experts) have written keys for difficult groups such as willowherbs and water-starworts;
5. there are completely new keys, which did not appear in the old edition e.g. to fine-leaved mayweeds;
6. the new introduction is twice as long, with much additional information to assist beginners;
7. the new glossary is three times as long, packed with new line illustrations;
8. there are new features to assist those working in conservation, such as marking plants as BAP species and with their protected species and/or red list status;
9. there is a compilation of the lastest research on ancient woodland indicator species;
10. the new edition includes extra identification tips, from the new author's experience and from specialist publications like Plant Crib, not published in any other field guide.... Read more ›
61 of 62 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The original edition of this book was released when I was only a 1 year-old. As a young girl, growing up near to a forest, surrouded by lovely countryside, I remember taking a passing interest in the wildlife and the flowers. For a time, this interest left me, and I began to forget all the knowledge my mum had passed onto me about the wild plants. Recently, I have longed to get this knowledge back, and to expand on it. Finding this book on Amazon, I felt I could not pass it by.
Although it is not meant as a handy field book - the sheer size of it prevents this - this is a great book both for the beginner (like me) and for those who already have a fair bit of knowledge.
The book is organised well, with lovely drawings of the plants. There is also a good introduction to the book, followed by lots of information about how to use the book, the equipment you may want to get, a guide on flower structure, where to find out more, along with other titbits of info.
For the true beginner, there is also a list of abbreviations, as well as an illustrated glossary at the back of the book.
The general key to plant families is a valuable asset to this book; beginners could not be without it.
This is an excellent edition, of what I understand to be a classic text on wild flowers and their identification. I am very pleased with my choice in beginning with this text to guide me on discovering more about wild flowers, trees and shrubs. Although I have a long way to go, I think this will help me immensely; now, as a beginner, I would not be without it.
Although it is not meant as a handy field book - the sheer size of it prevents this - this is a great book both for the beginner (like me) and for those who already have a fair bit of knowledge.
The book is organised well, with lovely drawings of the plants. There is also a good introduction to the book, followed by lots of information about how to use the book, the equipment you may want to get, a guide on flower structure, where to find out more, along with other titbits of info.
For the true beginner, there is also a list of abbreviations, as well as an illustrated glossary at the back of the book.
The general key to plant families is a valuable asset to this book; beginners could not be without it.
This is an excellent edition, of what I understand to be a classic text on wild flowers and their identification. I am very pleased with my choice in beginning with this text to guide me on discovering more about wild flowers, trees and shrubs. Although I have a long way to go, I think this will help me immensely; now, as a beginner, I would not be without it.
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4.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A rose by any other name.....
I heard good words about this book on our habitat surveys so bought it. Then to a training course where I learnt the value of this as an aid to identifying specific plants and... Read more
Published 16 hours ago by sirius
1.0 out of 5 stars
Need a degree in Botany to use this book
I'm quite intelligent but know nothing about wild flowers, so bought this book so I could identify them. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Alison Kristina
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
I bought this book to help improve my plant ID skills as recommended by a university lecturer. It is very straightforward and easy to use. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Stephen Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a book
What great book for identify the plants i have long wondered what they were, have purchased other guide before this the one for me
Published 9 days ago by Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the best wildflower field guide money can buy.
Perhaps more suited to the naturalist than the passing layman but a truly superb reference work. Dr. Francis Rose should surely receive a knighthood for this work.
Published 23 days ago by Clive 'Badger' Budden
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book
This is a great book to ID plants including for beginers and the online saving on the RRP was very welcome.
Published 1 month ago by kobuta
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flora at its best
Really good pictures and easy to use. You are able to compare from this Flora to a swedish and learn a lot of the English fauna.
Published 1 month ago by Birgitta Qvarnstr
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential field guide
This book is superb. It allows a beginner to identify any British flower simply and quickly. Explanations, illustrations and descriptions are clear and the layout of the book as a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by G. Cowley
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good book
I hope that this book will help me to identify wild plants, it looks promising. I wish that I had bought it sooner.
Published 2 months ago by Scilla
5.0 out of 5 stars
Detailed and well laid out
Covers many plants in UK. The plant profiles are nicely laid out and easy to arrive to the identification. It incorporates some keys too.
Published 3 months ago by Steven
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