A Photographic Guide to Common Seaweeds covers seaweeds commonly found either on the shore or subtidally by divers. The main emphasis of the guide is towards seaweeds found in southern and southwest England but does include algae found in western Scotland and Ireland. Each species is illustrated by one to four photographs of the features which are essential for accurate identification. Photographs are of the seaweeds in their natural habitats as well as images of pressed material and microscopic detail where this is articularly useful for identification. All features illustrated can easily be seen using a good hand lens. A series of features which characterise the seaweed are listed for each species.
Information on how to collect and press seaweeds is provided together with a list of books useful for further study. A Photographic Guide to Common Seaweeds covers 190 species (50 brown algae, 125 red algae, and 15 "green" algae). The guide is A4 size, spiral wire bound and printed on heavy weight paper (slightly water resistant).