Book Reviews

Tahua-roa: Food for your visitors. recording of whakapapa (genealogies) Ngaˉ poˉrearea me ngaˉ matemate o Korare: Maˉori green vegetables, and whakataukiˉ (proverbs), ngaˉ maˉra taewa. their history and tips on their use his detailing of traditional Maˉori Pests and diseases of taewa (Maˉori By Nick Roskruge horticultural and cooking practices, potato) crops Published by the Institute of Natural provision of information on pests and By Nick Roskruge, Aleise Puketapu Resources, Massey University, diseases which affect plant growth and Turi McFarlane New Zealand, 2012 and usability, plus a few pages of Published by the Institute of Natural Paperback, colour photos, 114 pages, modern recipes. Maˉori nomenclature Resources, Massey University, 145 × 210 mm (A5) is used throughout, but botanical New Zealand, 2010 ISBN 978-0-473-20736-6 names are included too, so that it is Spiral bound, colour photos, $NZ45.00 clear to readers which plant species is 72 pages, 150 × 210 mm Reviewed by Sue Scheele being discussed. ISBN 978-0-473-17613-6 The text is clearly laid out, with lovely $NZ35.00 photos of the plants, and the use of Reviewed by Sue Scheele TAHUA-ROA FOOD FOR YOUR VISITORS coloured boxes for interesting stories KORARE and extra facts that don’t fit under MÄORI GREEN VEGETABLES THEIR HISTORY AND TIPS ON THEIR USE the main headings. This includes information on similar looking species Ngâ pôrearea me ngâ that might be confused with the edible matemate o ngâ mâra taewa plant (e.g., “fool’s watercress”, p. 40), Pests and Diseases of Taewa (Mäori Potato) Crops and advice to conserve rather than eat Nick Roskruge I Aleise Puketapu I Turi McFarlane once common species that are now endangered, such as Cook’s scurvy grass (pp. 72–73). There are some minor quibbles. While interesting, the introductory sections on Maˉori horticulture would have profited from further editing to clear up some awkward sentence structures and tense changes. I question whether aruhe (fernroot) was NICK ROSKRUGE 2012 really a “primary cultivated food” in the horticultural sense (p. 3). Fernroot was a dependable and crucial This attractive publication is source of carbohydrate, but I think it a valuable addition to several Maˉori fits best into the “managed natural Once a regular part of the ‘quarter- niche markets – books for cooks, populations” referred to in the next acre’ lifestyle, ‘growing your own’ gardeners, and those interested in sentence. Roskruge acknowledges vegetables is enjoying a renaissance Maˉori and natural history. The content the maˉtauranga Maˉori (traditional as a popular pastime. Many folk are draws on the author’s expertise in soil knowledge) of elders that provided looking outside the common and science and horticulture, combined such a valuable resource for the mainstream vegetable species, to with his cultural understanding of book, but I would have liked to have varieties that provide both a different Te Ao Marama, the traditional Maˉori seen sources given for some of the taste and an interesting story. In view of the natural world. This is the other information, such as the tables restaurants as well as the modern second book in a series aligned to on nutritional values (perhaps the garden, the old Maˉori potato varieties Maˉori foods which introduces over author’s research?). References are admirably fulfil this role. 30 korare (Maˉori green vegetables) given for quoted comments, but a sourced from freshwater or coastal In the introduction to this useful short bibliography would have been areas, the forest or bush, as weeds in publication, Nick Roskruge skillfully useful too. crops, or as crops. threads his way through the various For several of the vegetables, beliefs and accounts of how To date, the best popular reference Roskruge states that the nutritional potatoes came to be introduced to on Maˉori food plants has been value is unknown. This begs for New Zealand. Accompanying this is Andrew Crowe’s Field guide to the additional research, so that future an interesting account of traditional native edible plants of New Zealand1, editions of this interesting and crop management approaches used a classic still in print after 30 years. valuable book will be even more by Maˉori. Nick Roskruge’s volume focuses informative. on green vegetables (or edible Roskruge and his co-authors then herbs, in Crowe’s parlance) and provide essential information on provides similar information to identifying and managing the pests Crowe on botanical status and use. and various diseases that affect This volume’s distinctiveness and potatoes. There is detailed scientific usefulness comes from Roskruge’s information on symptoms and

1 Available since the 1980s by various publishers – Collins (1981); Hodders (1990); Godwit (1997); Penguin (2004).

New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) 29 transmission factors accompanied The golden age of botanical art most splendid florilegium ever and by cultural management practices. By Martyn Rix although the images are splendid Pests include Bactericera cockerelli, Published by Andre Deutsch, London, in a Romantic style, they are less the potato/tomato psyllid first found UK in association with Kew Royal impressive or useful botanically. in New Zealand in 2006, and still Botanic Gardens, UK, 2012 spreading throughout the country. Hardback, colour and monochrome It may raise an eyebrow amongst illustrations, 256 pages, 250 × 290 mm conservationists, but it is refreshing ISBN 978-0-233-00364-1 and honest to see puˉkeko – so- $NZ69.99 called “black rabbits”, listed among In recent years there have been the annoying pests! The authors numerous books using botanical are gentle in their suggested control illustrations originally published measures, which include mounding between about 1500 and the end of the potato plants and discouraging of the 19th century. This attests to puˉkeko nesting sites. the continuing popularity of such As in Roskruge’s later book, Tahu-Roa botanical illustrations, even if today Korare, the photographs are lovely they are usually judged simply on and the layout easy to follow. There is aesthetic grounds as botanical art an excellent glossary of scientific and and often are not appreciated for their Maˉori terms used. Both of these books scientific value. We tend to forget would provide a handsome and useful that when such botanical illustrations gift for the gardeners in your family. were produced the aim was to aid the unequivocal identification of a Both titles available from plant, to demonstrate the features that Touchwood Books distinguished it from closely related Fig. 1 An elegant rendition of a familiar plants (Nickelsen, 2006a). Preparation plant. Arctotis, a hand-coloured engraving The western tradition of botanical from a watercolour by G.D. Ehret, Plate XCIII of a useful illustration required a illustration in Dr Christoph Trew’s Plantae selectae … good knowledge of botany and plant published in Germany between 1750 and Four books reviewed by Ross structure and, in time, of the principles 1773. Ferguson of Linnaean classification. Thus the Botanical drawing-book (1788) by Today, the work of botanical The golden age of flowers: the notable botanical artist James illustrators is usually reproduced Botanical illustration in the age Sowerby started not with the drawing photographically. In earlier times, the of discovery 1600–1800 techniques used but with an account finished product was the result of a By Celia Fisher of the Linnaean system describing in team effort. A plate in Fuchs’ Primi de Published by The British Library, some detail the individual parts of the historia stirpium (1545) (The history of London, UK, 2011 flower (Nickelsen, 2006a). growing plants) shows the production Hardback, colour illustrations, team responsible for the illustrations: Botanical illustrations were intended 144 pages, 215 × 241 mm Albrecht Meyer who drew the plants, to be much more than just pretty ISBN 978-0-7123-5820-0 Heinrich Füllmaurer who transferred pictures. Artists had to be technically $NZ50.99 the drawing onto the wooden block, competent but they had also to adapting the image where necessary, Flora mirabilis: How plants have understand the plants, to know what and Rudolf Speckle who carved the shaped world knowledge, health, features were important and that block. The plate of these three at wealth, and beauty should, if necessary, be emphasised, work is reproduced on page 17 of to choose, if possible, a plant that By Catherine Herbert Howell Flora mirabilis. Later, woodblocks was typical of the species. The dual were replaced by copper etchings or Published by National Geographic requirements, scientific and artistic, Society, Washington D.C., USA, 2009 engravings and here too, the artist’s were well summarised by Blunt when intentions might be modified by the Hardback, colour and monochrome he wrote, “The greatest flower artists illustrations, 256 pages, 195 × 247 mm etcher or engraver. The modifications have been those who have found that might occur are illustrated by ISBN 978-1-4262-0509-5 beauty in truth; who have understood $NZ90.00 Desmond (1987: pp. 34, 35), who plants scientifically, but who have shows as an example the original Botanical riches: Stories of yet seen and described them with drawing of Passiflora cærulea by botanical exploration the eye and the hand of the artist” James Sowerby and the engraving (Blunt and Stearn, 1994). Georg Ehret as it finally appeared in The botanical By Richard Aitken (Fig. 1) and the Bauer brothers, of Published by Lund Humphries, magazine of Curtis (1778, vol. 1, the 18th century, were amongst the plate 28). A further complication was Aldershot, England, UK, 2008 most successful in meeting these (Hardback edition published 2006) the colouring of the printed plates, requirements. It must be admitted, often by large teams of colourists. Paperback, colour and monochrome however, that an element of one- illustrations, 243 pages, 235 × 320 mm The colours should match those of upmanship could creep in. The the original drawing, they should ISBN 978-1-84822-010-2 temple of flora (at the end of the 18th $NZ68.99 be consistent from copy to copy century), part of Robert Thornton’s and the considerable costs had to New illustration of the sexual system be constrained (Nickelsen, 2006b). of Carolus von Linnaeus, was much Considering the number of different more sumptuous than required people involved, ensuring that the simply to demonstrate the Linnaean finished illustration was both beautiful system. It was clearly intended as the and an accurate likeness of the plant,

30 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) with the diagnostic features clearly more precise. These, however, are pleasing. I did note a small number shown, was a daunting task. Our relatively minor imperfections that do of production difficulties: a missing respect for the botanical illustrations not detract too much: this is simply a plate, a plate misascribed, gaps of the past is greatly increased when book to enjoy, enabling us to marvel in the index, a plant, according we realise what was required in their at the skills necessary to produce to Sandra Knapp of the Natural preparation. such unforgettable images. History Museum, London, incorrectly identified. The list of illustrations is at the back of the volume, which is not overly convenient, but the list is generally comprehensive. Such problems are not that serious. I was more disturbed by the narrow focus of the book. Brief mention is made of the use of plants around the world or by earlier civilisations but the main text deals with the botanical exploration and exploitation by first Europe (largely England at that) and then by the United States of America. The overall attitudes are reminiscent of those common 50 or 100 years ago: the “age of discovery”, “the age of exploration” (titles of two chapters) are really accounts of Europeans becoming more aware Flora mirabilis – described as “a Celia Fisher’s The golden age of of the rest of the world. The “known” wonderful book about flowers” – uses flowers is the ideal coffee table world is obviously that known to illustrations to help tell a story. As book, a book for browsing or casual Europeans. There is no indication, indicated by the subtitle, the aim was reading. A hundred different genera for example, that the Chinese had a to describe “how plants have shaped are illustrated using images almost long history of horticulture, and that world knowledge, health, wealth, and all originally published in Europe the early importers of plants from beauty”. Unfortunately, too much has between the beginning of the 17th China relied very heavily on buying been attempted and I found the result century and the first decades of the plants from nurseries around Canton somewhat incoherent. The main text 19th century. The few exceptions (Guangzhou). on the history of our understanding are paintings prepared by unknown of plants and of their exploitation but proficient Chinese and Indian is interrupted by numerous short artists. The accompanying texts are essays on individual crop plants, the undemanding and the relatively brief illustrations do not always happily introduction is an account of plant complement the text, and there are exploration and the introduction of numerous marginal notes or quotes plants into the gardens of Europe. I in several different fonts or colours. would have liked more details of the This is a pity, because much of the artists and engravers responsible for information is intriguing and the the plates used and more information individual parts of the text well written, on the publications in which they even if not in great depth. There is originally appeared. Instead, readers a wider diversity of images than in wanting such information have to go The golden age of flowers including to texts such as Sitwell and Blunt’s those of fruit and of important crop Great flower books (1990) or Blunt plants, not just flowers. They also and Stearn’s The art of botanical come from a greater time span than illustration (1994). that covered by Celia Fisher, although The golden age of flowers has many of those from publications late many beautiful illustrations but I in the 19th century lack the appeal was somewhat disappointed that of those produced earlier. The larger many of the images have been Richard Aitken in Botanical riches images are the more successful; criticises such an approach: “For cropped; I prefer to see the full others have been so reduced that plates as originally conceived. More those who still view the world with they lack impact. For example, Euro-centric blinkers, the appreciation disturbing, in some cases such the original plate of an Oncidium as the illustrations of Fuchsia and of plants by Indigenous peoples in Bateman’s The Orchidaceae of around the globe often comes Passiflora, details are so enlarged Mexico and Guatemala (1837–1843) that even the texture of the original filtered through lenses of ignorance is more than 50 cm in height; here it is and arrogance”. He does describe paper becomes obvious. The results reduced to a mere 9 cm; plates from can be rather gross, unsubtle and agriculture and the use of plants in the monochrome edition (1900–1905) the Middle East, ancient India, the unpleasantly mechanical, certainly of the Banks copper engravings are not what the engraver intended. Each Roman Empire, in pre-Columbian likewise so reduced that they have America and in China. The bulk of plate is conveniently accompanied become insignificant. by bibliographic details but the his text nevertheless deals with the Flora mirabilis is beautifully produced dating, especially of plates from The familiar story of the discovery and – the endpapers are particularly botanical magazine could have been exploitation of the world’s plants

New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) 31 by Europeans or those of European modifications introduced by engravers of publication but useful information descent. It may be a familiar story but or colourists. I was particularly such as plate number was not given. it is well told, in considerably greater impressed by the remarkable collage No date or volume number was detail than in Flora mirabilis and of Bombax ceiba by Mrs Delany, a given for two plates from Gartenflora, more comprehensively. I found the late eighteenth century painting by a periodical described as being chapter on the botanical exploration of Margaret Meen of some of the first published from over 70 years from Australia particularly interesting and he dahlias introduced to Britain, and a 1852 to 1922. Some illustrations reminds us that botanical exploration wonderful watercolour by Nodder remain anonymous such as the Sturt’s is still ongoing with an account of the after Parkinson of Phormium tenax. Desert pea on page 89 (and I question discovery of the Wollemi pine (Wollemi In addition, Dr Rix uses illustrations whether the image should be rotated nobilis). Two great strengths of his from many publications and generally 90º) and the pitcher plant, Cephalotus book are the list of illustrations, very they are extraordinarily satisfying. In dampieri, on page 92. clearly presented and even noting some cases, the published version Which book to buy? Each has many when only a detail is shown, and is accompanied by the preliminary strengths and few weaknesses. The the eight pages devoted to notes on sketches. My only reservation is that golden age of flowers is perhaps the sources and a select bibliography. in some plates, plants are portrayed most beautiful. Botanical riches is the These indicate just how widely he has against a dark cream background most comprehensive account of plant read and, also, how skillfully he has whereas other plants from the same exploration but could have made more blended together all the information he work have been manipulated to of the great period of plant exploration presents. appear on the stark white background in China and of the movement of Richard Aitken has used mainly of the printed page. I prefer to see the so many important crops from the the resources of the State Library entire image unmodified as originally Americas to the rest of the world. of Victoria, Australia, for his presented. Flora mirabilis compensates by its illustrations. This clearly has an The material covered is actually consideration of economic botany. The enviable collection. The larger format broader than the title might suggest, golden age of botanical art has many of Botanical riches increases the from the earliest herbals though to previously unpublished illustrations impact of the illustrations. I was the modern day with special mention from the Kew archives. There is particularly impressed by that of being made of the Shirley Sherwood surprisingly little overlap in the images Rafflesia arnoldii (the corpse flower) Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew. used by the different authors. The “which perfectly captures the flower’s The main focus is the seventeenth, simple solution is to buy all four: they putrid fascination”, and a most eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are not that expensive and I doubt any marvellous Banksia from Sydenham with a strong emphasis on plant reader will be disappointed. I certainly Edwards’ Botanical register. Aitken exploration primarily from Britain. Thus was not, but if I were forced to choose, includes not only images from the some of the expected continental then Botanical riches would be my “golden age” of flower illustration works such as Christoph Trew’s choice. but also earlier images and those Hortus nitidissimus and Plantae from the 19th century. My main selectae, Johann Weinmann’s References reservation is that many have been Phytanthoza iconographia and Blunt, W. and Stearn, W.T. (1994). The given a disconcertingly rich cream Volkamer’s Nürnburgische Hesperides art of botanical illustration. Revised background. are not mentioned. To compensate, & enlarged edition. Antique many of the great works of the last Collectors’ Club, Woodbridge, century are described as is the work Suffolk, in association with The of some of the most eminent of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, current generation of botanical artists. England, UK. I do have doubts about the accuracy Desmond, R. (1987). A celebration of at least some of the text. Three of flowers: two hundred years of examples will suffice: Curtis’s Botanical Magazine. The • on page 38, Dr Rix repeats the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, oft-quoted story that the original in association with Collingridge, copper plates for Besler’s Hortus Twickenham, England, UK. eystettensis were melted down Nickelsen, K. (2006a). Draughtsmen, in 1817 whereas more than ten botanists and nature: constructing years ago, most of the plates were eighteenth-century botanical rediscovered in storage at the illustrations. Studies in History Albertina, Vienna. and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 37(1): 1–25. • on page 92, the coloured printing of the Banks engravings published Nickelsen, K. (2006b). The challenge of colour: eighteenth-century The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew as the Banks’ florilegium was by botanists and the hand-colouring and the Natural History Museum, Alecto, not the Royal College of of illustrations. Annals of Science London have a wealth of paintings Art. 63: 3–23. and drawings as well as botanical • on page 99, there is what is Sitwell, S. and Blunt, W. (1990). publications and these have been purportedly a portrait of Sir Joseph Great flower books 1700–1900; most successfully exploited by Banks but this is instead the a bibliographical record of two Martyn Rix in The golden age of Per Krafft portrait of Linnaeus. centuries of finely-illustrated flower botanical art. Many such works I also found the captions to the books. (Original edition 1956.) have not previously been published illustrations frustratingly lacking in H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd, London, and it is possible to see directly detail. Usually, the adjoining text England, UK. what the artist intended without the had to be consulted to get the date

32 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) Note: Many botanical images grew many vegetables – brassicas, The cultivation of New Zealand have now been digitised and carrots, celery, cucumbers, lettuces, trees and shrubs are readily available online. The onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, By Lawrie Metcalf website www.botanicus.org from pumpkins, tomatoes, as well as Published by Raupo (Penguin Books), the Missouri Botanical Garden bedding plants, and later they 2011 Library makes it possible to view established an apple orchard. Paperback, colour photos, 408 pages, a wonderful resource of more Their partnership was soon 180 × 258 mm than 5000 botanical volumes. An interrupted by World War II, when ISBN 978-0-143-56561-1 even more convenient website, Warwick was called to duty in $NZ55.00 www.plantillustrations.org, can February 1942. He began in the Reviewed by Murray Dawson be used to find illustrations of army as a driver and within a specific plants. year was posted in the Pacific in communications. Following his return “I was paid ... Three pence an hour from the war, the two McFadden ... when I started work aged 13.” brothers bought a block of land on the By Warwick McFadden main North Road and opened a shop Published by W. McFadden, on site in 1949. Christchurch, New Zealand, 2008 Like their crops, their business thrived Paperback, colour and B&W in the 1950s and 1960s and they photographs, 129 pages, bought further blocks of land, took 250 × 190 mm on staff, and had other ventures. ISBN 978-0-473-13831-8 From the 1990s to the present day, Reviewed by Murray Dawson the family trust has been subdividing some of this land into residential developments. There is an interesting discussion of the growing techniques used then compared to now and continued by his son, Geoff, at Southbridge. It is also sobering to read that there is less It has been more than 10 years opportunity for smaller growers today since the last edition of this iconic as the current market demands large- reference, an enduring classic that scale production. began with the first edition in 1972. A nice collection of photographs I welcome each new version with appear throughout, B&W for the open arms and wholeheartedly early years followed by colour; these recommend these books which began complement the text and add interest. my own fascination in horticulture Warwick was made a Fellow of the and native plants more than three RNZIH in 1967, and gained a NDH decades ago. As the header on the (vegetable) in 1974; these certificates new cover page says, it really is “Your Author and publisher Warwick and other documents are included in essential reference” to native trees McFadden states plainly on the the appendices. and shrubs and the cultivars derived inside cover, “This is a story of me, Warwick McFadden is now 92 years from them. my family, and my working life as a of age, and his book begins with a The title of the new book The commercial grower.” preface “...a life fully occupied” and cultivation of New Zealand trees and This then is an autobiography, a ends in “To you, the Reader, I hope shrubs is a return to a name of some personal narrative of World War II, you have enjoyed the story of my life. earlier editions (1972, 1975, 1987, a history of the McFadden family, I am happy in my retirement to work 1991); the 2000 edition was entitled and a history of their vegetable and in my garden, and ... I am happy to go New Zealand trees and shrubs: a fruit trade and other endeavours in on until it is time to leave you.” comprehensive guide to cultivation Christchurch, New Zealand. I did indeed enjoy reading his and identification. As his book recounts, Warwick personal account, modestly The publisher has changed from McFadden was born in 1920 and had and sincerely told. Accounts of Reed to Raupo, an imprint of the modest beginnings being raised in New Zealand horticulturists are Penguin Group. From the Cataloguing the Great Depression years of the rare, and their stories are important. in Publishing (CIP) page, the 1930s. Warwick and his younger Growing food for the populations publisher and author do regard this as brother, Laurence McFadden, formed within one’s own borders is a noble a new work, first published 2011, even a partnership in March 1939 that has venture and it is a real credit to though it is clearly derived from the endured throughout their lives; one Warwick McFadden, with more than original book first published in 1972. that is based on an ethic of hard work a year’s support from his friend Comparing the 2000 edition alongside and taking life’s opportunities. Stan Fitchett, that this life-time of this new 2011 work shows that they experience has been written. They began sharecropping using are of the same physical dimensions (180 × 258 mm) and share the same horse and hand – tractors and Book available from the author. mechanisation were to come later. page length (408 pp.). McFadden Bros Ltd became market The cover image changes over the gardeners in Belfast, to the north of years, following major revisions rather Christchurch. Over the decades they than reprints. For 2011, the cover

New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) 33 chosen is of Hebe macrocarpa var. However, the correct spelling of a Dawson, M.; Hobbs, J.; Platt, G.; latisepala (= Veronica macrocarpa) Leptospermum scoparium cultivar Rumbal, J. (2010a). Metrosideros which works well from a colour is L. ‘Helene Strybing’ (named in cultivation: Poˉhutukawa. balance and design perspective, even to commemorate the Strybing The first of a two-part series. though the specimen photographed Arboretum’s benefactor) and not New Zealand Garden Journal appears a bit scrappy. L. ‘Helen Strybing’. This was pointed 13(1): 10–22. Although I do miss the line drawings out to me by Lawrie Metcalf himself Dawson, M.; Hobbs, J.; Platt, G.; and pest and disease photos of old, some years ago, and stated in Rumbal, J. (2010b). Metrosideros it is good to see the colour illustration Dawson (2010), but the incorrect in cultivation: Raˉtaˉ and other sections more evenly spread cultivar spelling managed to slip into species. The second of a two- throughout rather than as a central Metcalf’s book. Also, I don’t think that part series. New Zealand Garden block. Many of the same images have L. ‘Martinii’ should be considered Journal 13(2): 10–23. been used in this edition but they “another member of the Incanum Metcalf, L.J. (1993). The cultivation have been allowed more space and group” (p. 204). Like L. ‘Helene of New Zealand plants. Godwit are less harshly cropped. Images Strybing’, it is a triploid hybrid Press, Auckland. 260 pp. between the tetraploid L. ‘Keatleyi’ new to this edition are also included. Metcalf, L.J. (2000). New Zealand and a diploid cultivar. In the case of To his credit, author Lawrie Metcalf trees and shrubs: a L. ‘Martinii’, the other parent is likely takes all of his own photographs comprehensive guide to to be L. ‘Nicollsii’, a red flowered and they succeed in illustrating the cultivation and identification. mutant from Metcalf’s “Scoparium great diversity of leaf and flower Rev. ed. Reed, Auckland. 408 pp. form among our native trees and group” – making the cultivar a hybrid between the two groups. Metcalf, L.J. (2008). The cultivation shrubs. I think that it is fair to say that of New Zealand grasses. Rev. ed. a few original photos are starting to For Metrosideros, there is dispute Godwit Press, Auckland. 120 pp. look dated compared to the results that in some coastal areas “true now possible from modern digital poˉhutukawa has had its genes diluted Available from Touchwood photography. with those of M. kermadecensis.” My Books and Manaaki Whenua I see that Parts 1 and 2 are understanding is that this is more Press. transposed from the earlier editions. of a potential concern rather than This is a good decision as the main an established fact (Graeme Platt, An illustrated guide to common content – descriptions and notes of pers. comm.). grasses, sedges and rushes of the genera, species and cultivars Metcalf could have mentioned that New Zealand now appear first, followed by a much more than 30 named cultivars of By Paul Champion, Trevor James, Ian shorter Part 2 which covers tips M. excelsa have been documented Popay and Kerry Ford for selection of plants for particular (Dawson et al., 2010a) and that Published by the New Zealand Plant purposes and then pest and disease there are a significant number of Protection Society, Christchurch, 2012 symptoms and control. M. umbellata selections, although Paperback, colour photos, 208 pages, A lot of painstaking work has gone of limited availability (Dawson et al., 170 × 244 mm into rewriting the text of this book and 2010b). To be fair, Lawrie Metcalf ISBN 978-0-473-21660-3 the plant selections included have may not have had time or space to $NZ60.00 been carefully revisited. Some older incorporate this recent information. Reviewed by Murray Dawson cultivars that are no longer widely The publicity material on the back grown are omitted (except where they cover states “information on some have particular historic interest), and 600 native species...”. Accuracy may some of the newly available cultivars have been forsaken for simplicity have been added. It must have been as I think that “species” here means very difficult for the author to retain the rank of species and below the same number of pages as the – subspecies, varieties and the previous edition given that the number numerous cultivars. of native cultivars always increases – These are minor quibbles and vastly and so too should a comprehensive outweighed by the strengths of The and authoritative reference to them. cultivation of New Zealand trees Unavoidably, there have been some and shrubs. This book, along with compromises to achieve this, such its two out-of-print companions, The as the omission of some cultivar cultivation of New Zealand plants descriptions that appeared in earlier (Metcalf, 1993) and The cultivation editions. I would have preferred an of New Zealand grasses (Metcalf, expanded edition with more pages 2008), indisputably remain the but perhaps the publishers said “no” most authoritative and “must have” to any such proposition. In line with references on New Zealand native This new identification guide covers modern practice, it would also have cultivars. grasses (of the Poaceae family, been good to see Maˉori macrons also known as the Gramineae), added to vernacular plant names References sedges (Cyperaceae), and rushes where appropriate. Dawson, M. (2010). A history of (Juncaceae), both native and A critical check of the Leptospermum Leptospermum scoparium in introduced, that are commonly found and Metrosideros cultivar entries cultivation: Garden selections. in ornamental plantings, pastures, (Myrtaceae family), for which I The second of a two-part series. lawns, crops, roadsides and coastal have recently published in The New Zealand Garden Journal habitats of New Zealand. New Zealand Garden Journal, found 13(1): 2–9. little to fault.

34 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) Of all the vascular plant groups, true species in these three very large sedges and rushes of New Zealand. grasses and grass-like plants are groups”. According to their figures This book succeeds admirably in probably the most off-putting (but only the introduced grass species meeting the needs of a wide audience not necessarily difficult) to identify outnumber the natives. and being a user-friendly and because many look superficially Other introductory sections include practical guide. similar. The Flora of New Zealand plant lists and discussion of pest References series (e.g., Allan, 1961) is plants (p. ix), a useful précis on how comprehensive, but because these to tell the difference between grasses, Allan, H.H. (1961). Flora of ‘botanical bibles’ are written by and sedges and rushes (starting from the New Zealand. Vol. I. Government for experts they are of necessity laden rhyme “sedges have edges, rushes Printer, Wellington. with terminology that can be confusing are round, grasses have nodes from Lambrechsten, N.C. (1992). What to casual users. An illustrated guide their tips to the ground”, p. x), other grass is that? New Zealand to common grasses, sedges and plants that are grass-like (p. xiv), Department of Scientific and rushes of New Zealand translates the and discussion of the habitats where Industrial Research, Information information of these technical floras grasses, sedges and rushes are to be Series No. 87. Fourth edition. and does an admirable job teaching found (p. xv). Government Printer, Wellington. us that there are good characters The introductory material concludes Popay, I.; Champion, P.; James, T. available to distinguish these plants. with mention of useful books, (2010). An illustrated guide to Recent taxonomic and molecular including What grass is that? common weeds of New Zealand. research has resulted in changes (Lambrechsten, 1992; a forerunner Third Edition. New Zealand Plant to plant names since each flora book now out of print and for which Protection Society, Christchurch. was published. It is reassuring to this new illustrated guide could Available from Touchwood see that botanical names in this be considered a replacement), guide are up-to-date and largely Books and Manaaki Whenua acknowledgements, and an easy Press. concordant with the treatments to follow and beautifully illustrated followed in the Landcare Research glossary of terms. Ngaˉ Tipu o Aotearoa – New Zealand Field guide to New Zealand’s native The main body of the book comprises Plants database (http://nzflora. trees plant descriptions for the sedges landcareresearch.co.nz). Former By John Dawson & Rob Lucas (pp. 2–37), rushes (pp. 38–55) names are usefully cross-referenced Published by Craig Potton Publishing, and the largest group, the grasses (e.g., Androsachne is the current October 2012 (pp. 56–172). Prefacing each group genus for some species of Elymus, Paperback, colour photos, 436 pages, (sedges, rushes and grasses) are Cenchrus spp. was Pennisetum spp., 210 × 148 mm well-written notes, illustrations, and Danthonia decumbens was Sieglingia ISBN 978-1-877517-82-2 keys nicely displayed as tables to aid decumbens, Ficinia spiralis was NZ$49.99 identification. Like An illustrated guide Desmoschoenus spiralis, Machaerina Reviewed by Murray Dawson to common weeds of New Zealand, spp. was Baumea spp.). this book has succinct descriptions What a great idea! Editor Sue This book follows the same full-colour for each species with a paragraph Hallas has taken John Dawson and user-friendly format of its stable- on key features (in bold), descriptive and Rob Lucas’s outstanding tome 2 mate, An illustrated guide to common text on features appropriate to each New Zealand’s native trees , and 1 weeds of New Zealand (Popay group (e.g., flower stems, roots, cunningly distilled the content down et al., 2010), and fills a major gap in rhizomes, leaves, flower heads, into field guide format. coverage of vascular plant groups. spikelets), notes on Distribution, Three authors are the same on both habitat and comments, Derivation titles, with the welcome addition of of botanical name and Related grass and sedge expert Kerry Ford of (and Similar) species. Comments Landcare Research. include applicable Regional Pest Illustrations throughout are Management Strategies. outstanding and clearly show This guide concludes with a useful diagnostic characters defining the appendix of books and websites groups and species. This is thanks (pp. 173–175) and an index of mainly to author Trevor James’s common and botanical names excellent photography; other image (pp. 176–182). It is inevitable that contributors are acknowledged in the some of the website addresses in the book. book have already changed since The Introduction (p. vi) tells us that publication. For example, due to a “New Zealand currently has at least website restructure, the interactive 230 introduced grass species, 35 plant identification keys hosted by rushes and 41 sedges”. On the Landcare Research are now to be following page (p. vii) there are useful found at www.landcareresearch. comparison estimates of “191 native co.nz/resources/identification/plants. grass species, 39 rushes and 173 Like the earlier title, An illustrated The price has reduced to less than sedges”, but a disparate closing guide to common weeds of half of the original title (from $120 to sentence stating “In all but the sedges, New Zealand, I highly recommend An around $50) which captures a wider introduced species outnumber native illustrated guide to common grasses, market and is also just in time for the Christmas stocking.

1 The latest edition was reviewed in the New Zealand Garden Journal, 2010, Vol. 13(1): 33–34. 2 Reviewed in the New Zealand Garden Journal, 2011, Vol. 14(2): 21–23.

New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2) 35 It’s no lightweight read either. Although Distribution and habitat, Size, Bark The publicity information on the the physical dimensions are smaller (for the true trees), Foliage and habit, back of each book suggests that it is still an impressive work in its own Cones and seeds (for conifers), the number of species have been right with 436 pp. (compared with Sori (tree ferns), Flowers and fruits reduced from “more than 320” in 576 pp. for New Zealand’s native (flowering trees). New Zealand’s native trees to “more trees). Good images are essential for Also new to this field guide are “quick than 210 species” in the field guide. I any field guide and a well-considered reference visual guide[s]” to several assume that the difference is mostly subset of Rob Lucas’s excellent of the plant groups (p. 8) which is a due to excluding related shrub species photographs has been retained. better description than “visual key[s]” from the guide. Also, the back outside Field guide to New Zealand’s native as they are called on the contents cover of the guide claims that “all trees follows the same main sections page. These are either diagnostic native trees” are covered. However, as New Zealand’s native trees – drawings or Photoshopped portions of Myrsine argentea, a recently described Introduction, Conifers, Tree Ferns, photos with backgrounds removed (it tree included in New Zealand’s native and Flowering Trees. Although many is difficult to tell which) placed together trees, is missing from the field guide. of the sentences are the same, or for easy comparison. Would I recommend this guide, slightly modified, the text has been Because New Zealand’s native trees even for those who may already extensively rearranged and cut down was used as a starting point, it is have invested in its ‘big-daddy’ from the source book. Sue Hallas not surprising to find relatively few predecessor? Absolutely! should be congratulated for her nips errors in the derived field guide. Peter Available from Touchwood Books and tucks – no easy editing task, but Heenan’s book review commenting and Manaaki Whenua Press. well executed. on Olearia angulata being accepted Each main section has a brief at species rank (New Zealand Garden introduction, starting with the Journal, 2011, Vol. 14(2), p. 22) has questions “What is a conifer?”, not been picked up in the field guide. Book review archive “What is a tree fern?” and “What is a The headings “Coprosma” should be Our entire archive of book reviews flowering plant?” before discussing italicised (p. 128, 129) and “subsp.” (from the Journal of the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture features relevant to each group. should not be italicised (p. 351) in 1981, under its various names), Within each section, there is no the guide. The first entry in the Index together with book reviews from introduction to genera before profiling (p. 431) has inadvertently merged two the Weekend Gardener magazine the species, subspecies and varieties. species names as “Ackama nubicola (from Issue 86, November 2001) Gone also is the essay style for rosifolia”. I would have also liked to are available on our website at www.rnzih.org.nz. each tree in New Zealand’s native see a few introductory sentences trees; this field guide instead has explaining the relationship of this book snappier subheadings within each with its larger counterpart. profile. These subheadings include

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• The New Zealand Garden Journal is a professional • Authors will not receive proofs for checking unless journal aimed at those with an in-depth interest in they specify this when submitting the article. Proofs plants, and an enthusiasm for sharing ideas and are checked carefully by several people before knowledge of their origins, conservation, cultivation printing. and use in gardens, parks and open spaces. • Photographs and/or illustrations should be included • The journal is published twice a year in June and with captions written at the end of the article. Images December. Copy dates are 1 April and 1 October, must be copyright free and if not the authors work, be respectively. fully credited to the original photographer or source and full permissions obtained. Images should be • Articles should be informative, accurate and well- supplied ideally as high definition electronic copies, founded. They are not treated to a formal refereeing or as good quality photographs and slides. All original process, but we encourage the more technical photographs and slides will be returned. papers to be peer reviewed before submission. For more technical articles, we may seek independent • Authors will receive two complimentary copies of advice and feedback. the relevant journal issue on publication. Additional copies will be available at cost. • References should follow the convention adopted in recent issues. • Online versions of the journal are uploaded on the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture website • Articles can be up to 5000 words, preferably at www.rnzih.org.nz. submitted electronically in Microsoft Word or RTF format, either on disk or as an email attachment. • Articles will be returned to authors only if major editorial changes are required, or on request.

36 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2012, Vol. 15(2)