The Hunter Region, between the Hawkesbury and Manning rivers in eastern New South Wales, hosts a rich diversity of vegetation, with many species found nowhere else. Spanning an area from the coast to the tablelands and slopes, its rainforests, wet and dry sclerophyll forests, woodlands, heathlands, grasslands and swamps are known for their beauty and ecological significance. Flora of the Hunter Region describes 54 endemic trees and large shrubs, combining art and science in a manner rarely seen in botanical identification guides. Species accounts provide information on distribution, habitat, flowering, key diagnostic features and conservation status, along with complete taxonomic descriptions. Each account includes stunning botanical illustrations produced by graduates of the University of Newcastle's Bachelor of Natural History Illustration program. The illustrations depict key diagnostic features and allow complete identification of each species. This book will be a valuable resource for those interested in the plants of the region, including researchers, environmental consultants, horticulturalists and gardeners, bush walkers, herbaria, and those involved in land management.

Author Biography

Stephen Bell is a conjoint fellow at the University of Newcastle, a self-employed botanist and part-time taxonomist who has been botanically exploring the Hunter Region for over 25 years. During this time, he has collected many thousands of plant specimens for various herbaria, and has discovered and described several taxa new to science. Christine Rockley is a scientific illustrator, designer and tutor. Currently based in Victoria, she has roots in the Hunter Valley. A graduate and former lecturer at the University of Newcastle in Scientific Illustration, Christine has trained in herbarium practice and specialises in terrestrial flora and marine and freshwater ecosystems. Anne Llewellyn is a conjoint senior lecturer at the University of Newcastle and has been a practicing natural history illustrator and educator for over 30 years. Her research interests focus on field work and its application to the depiction of Australia's diverse flora and fauna.