In a quandary over Quercus? Befuddled by Blechnum? Perplexed by Pedicularis? The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia could help.

The sixth volume of this landmark encyclopaedia is to be published this month.

All eight volumes should be available by the end of 2001.

It’s a joint project of the B.C. ministries of forests and environment, lands and parks. It describes and illustrates with line drawings of all the flowering plants and vascular non-flowering plants in our province.

Forest Service researchers, often working with colleagues from MELP, have produced many publications dealing with B.C.’s rich plant heritage. The province has approximately 2,500 species of vascular plants, more than any other Canadian province or territory. In total, Canada has about 4,150 species of vascular plants.

Del Meidinger, a Plant Ecologist with Research Branch, is one of the authors and editors of The Illustrated Flora.

"We first got involved in the Flora to standardize the names of plants for use in our ecosystem classification guides and provincial species list, and to assist users of our field guides in plant identification," he said. "Then Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon got involved in writing and editing various sections. Louise Gronmyr has done all of the finicky word-processing from the beginning."

Volumes 1-5 have been sent to each regional and district office in the province. Additional copies are available for $30 each from Crown Publications at http://www.crownpub.bc.ca.

For more information about The Illustrated Flora, please contact Del Meidinger at del.meidinger@gems2.gov.bc.ca or 250-387-6688.

For more information about the Research Program’s biodiversity publications, check out the catalogue at: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/biodiv/