Review

The book contains 411 colour photographs of as many plant species (all Angiosperms). I estimate that about half of the species covered is not native to Sri Lanka, but introduced and sometimes run wild. That means that the pictures are highly representative for what one meets as a resident or as a visitor, in gardens, along the roads and in waste places. It also means that the book can be profitable in other tropical Asian countries. The arrangement is alphabetical by scientific names, which is of course very easy for those who know the names. It may be felt as a disadvantage by those who try to attach a name to a plant they have found. They will have to go through the entire book. In books like this the arrangement is often by flower colour which makes identification easier. The index on flower colour at the back of this book is not really an alternative.