The extent and diversity of China's rich flora is unrivalled in temperate latitudes of the world, with some 30,000 species of plants. Nowhere is this floral richness better seen than in the west of the country. With its diverse scenery, lush forests, huge rivers and massive mountains, western China has been the centre of plant exploration for two centuries, yielding remarkable numbers of species of Clematis, Gentiana, Primula, Rhododendron as well as hundreds of orchids, poppies, camellias, peonies and roses. Our gardens are full of trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs of Chinese origin.

Today much of China is open for travellers to visit and enjoy the amazing variety of scenery and the vast, rich plantlife.

This exceptional new pictorial flora for western China describes and illustrates over 2,400 plants, and whilst providing a field guide to many of the commoner and colourful elements of the flora, it also includes many endemics and plants of great rarity. For the traveller, horticulturist or gardener it is the perfect reference, containing the largest collection of photographs of Chinese plants ever published. With the arrangement of the plant families following the latest DNA-based classification, it will also meet the discerning needs of plant scientists.