Noted with interest

Botanical revelation. European encounters with Australian plants before Darwin. Mabberley, D. J. 2020. The Peter Crossing Collection. NewSouth Publishing, Sydney, Australia. xi+372 pp. AUS$89.99 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-742-23647-6.

For decades Mabberley's The Plant-Book has been the most important reference on my shelf in my botanical garden office, so I was delighted to pick up this new book, which takes the reader on a unique journey into a golden age of geographical exploration. It begins with the first botanical record made in Australia, when a chronicler of de Torres’ Spanish expedition, on 6 September 1606, mentioned “many Nicaraguan plums.” Explorers initially named the new plants after ones already known in Europe. This is how the pantropical Ximenia americana (Oleaceae) family became the yellow plum, and why there are many mentions of oak, beech, and ash in English colonial records. That on his first voyage (1868–1871) Captain James Cook was accompanied by 2 eminent botanists, the English J. Banks and the Swedish D. C. Solander, was of great scientific benefit. During the journey along the east coast, 1400 new species were described, 30,000 herbarium specimens of 3000 species and some seeds were collected, and nearly a thousand botanical drawings were made. This book follows the botanical exploration of Australia with exciting twists and turns, all the way to Charles Darwin, who arrived in 1836 aboard HMS Beagle. Mabberley's meticulous work is enhanced by copious annotations and an extensive bibliography. The book will be a delight not only for those interested in the history of science and cultural history, but also for those with an interest in art. Its splendid design, size, layout, and beautiful plant illustrations will satisfy the most discerning readers.

The East Atlantic flyway of coastal birds. 50 years of exciting moments in nature conservation and research. Prokosch, P., Editor. 2024. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. 232 pp. €29.00 (hardcover). ISBN 978-84-16728-69-5.

The cover of this book is an honest hint about the book itself: colorfully chaotic with bits of interesting science. It is about the natural history of wading birds that migrate along the East Atlantic flyway, and it contains chapters on breeding, migratory stopovers, and wintering grounds. There is an emphasis on the research history of the mud-loving ornithologists who contributed to this volume. It seems they wanted to tell their stories (with the inevitable detours of personal details) as much as they wanted to describe what they managed to find out and protect. Their achievements are remarkable, and all the authors deserve to be warmly congratulated for their work in studying and protecting waders. The book certainly presents a lot of interesting facts but not always in an easy-to-grasp manner. Excellent ornithologists are not necessarily excellent writers, typographers, or editors. The outcome is occasionally chaotic and unfocused. Several figures have unreadable details. Strangely, the references, for which the font differs from the rest of the text, are the most legible. There are plenty of fine bird photos (occasionally perhaps too colorful) liberally intermixed with photos from long-ago field trips, when we were all young and tough and did not mind getting our underpants muddy. Although I would have liked a bit more focus on the birds, other readers will enjoy the strong personal touch that brings exciting field research close up.

The lives of seaweeds. A natural history of our planet's seaweeds and other algae. Phillips, J. A. 2023. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 288 pp. US$35.00 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-691-22855-6.

Compared with land plants, there are few books celebrating the beauty, diversity, and importance to humanity of seaweeds, so this one is a welcome addition. It follows a series format, with each chapter followed by profiles of relevant species, each illustrated with a full-page photo. The first half of the book is an introduction to seaweeds and other algae, their evolution, morphology, and life histories. It is illustrated with clear diagrams and photos and will be the primary interest for serious students of the algae. Readers will need to become familiar with some algal terminology that is used throughout the book, and there is a glossary at the end. The writing style is academic, but the beautiful photos are coffee-table quality. Some of the light microscope images are artworks in themselves. This technical section is difficult to read at times, and for me, the book came alive in the second half, which covers ecology and the human uses of algae. The importance of the tiniest of algae in the ecology of the planet is especially relevant now, with algal blooms playing a huge role in cooling Earth's climate and fixing carbon. Seaweeds also provide a host of other benefits, including potent pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and delicious foods. The book would have benefitted from proofreading for text readability and cross-references between chapters and from a more comprehensive index. However, the stunning photographs will inspire readers to discover more about the fascinating world of algae, and the book is a celebration of these underappreciated organisms.