The colour photographs in this book - more than 1,500 of them - constitute the finest and most comprehensive record of the native trees of New Zealand ever achieved. Never before has such a detailed coverage in photographs been assembled in book from. Here is the essence - and the reality - of our native forests. There are more than 220 species of indigenous New Zealand tree, and they are all covered in this book; its scope is complete. Most tree species are described and illustrated in detail; the full tree specimen, the leaf shapes (most at natural size), the bark, the flowers, the fruits. The major trees, such as kahikatea, totara, rimu and kauri, receive special attention; the great tree specimens are reproduced in superb large photographs and some of the fascinating natural cycles - such as the development of flowers and fruits - are recorded in detailed sequences. The Native Trees of New Zealand represents many years of work by Prof. John Salmon, who has tramped to some of the country's most remote corners, often many times over in all seasons of the year, to record the more rare species. The 1,500 colour photographs are the result of that labour. But this book is more than a botanical record. An outstanding introductory section examines the role of the tree in the harmony of nature, in the many natural cycles taking place inside the living forest. The types of New Zealand forest are examined; the origins of species in remote antiquity are explained. The Native Trees of New Zealand will have a place in the home of every nature lover - as an essential reference for identifying and understanding New Zealand's trees, and as a work of art in its own right. This revised edition incorporates extensive changes of nomenclature, including 29 newly recognised scientific names.

Author Biography

John Salmon's life-long love for New Zealand's wilderness places gave him a deep understanding of the implications of environmental conservation. As Professor of Zoology and later Dean of the Science Faculty at Victoria University, his views on the importance of conservation and ecology proved an inspiration to many of his students. When John Salmon died he left a legacy matched by few other New Zealanders. From his first books, published in the early 1960s, to his ground-breaking The Native Trees of New Zealand, John Salmon has been a staunch defender of our natural heritage. He was assisted by his wife Pam in the completion of the two volumes of Exotic Trees.