Winner of the 2018 BSBI/WFS Presidents’ Award, jointly awarded by the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland and the Wild Flower Society. The purpose of the Award is to acknowledge the most useful contribution to the understanding of the flowering plants and ferns of Britain and Ireland through a book, major paper, discovery or outstanding exhibit during that calendar year.
Some 28 miles south-west of the Cornish mainland lie the beautiful isles of Scilly, an archipelago of 150 small, rocky islands. Only 5 are inhabited and 40 have some higher vegetation. Surrounded by the sea and washed by the Gulf Stream the climate is mild, supporting a unique flora of both native and alien plants.
This new account brings the record up to date since Lousley's 1971 flora. It covers nearly 1,000 species, both native and introduced, with distribution maps and many photographs.
Sections include:
- The geographical position of the Isles of Scilly
- Early history
- Botanical recording
- Island habitat maps
- Descriptions of individual islands
- Alien plants
- Plant habitats
- Species accounts and maps
- Gazeteer of places
- Bibliography and useful references
- List of recorders and contributors
- Glossary
"[...] The last flora of Scilly was published as long ago as 1971 [...] An up-to-date flora was much needed. And here it is. Rosemary Parslow has been the archipelago’s plant-recorder and most industrious naturalist since 1983. She has already written a New Naturalist book on the Isles of Scilly (2007). Now she has teamed up with Cornwall’s plant-recorder, Ian Bennallick, to produce a colourful and appealing flora designed for use by plant-conscious visitors. Nearly every species gets at least half a page, with a colour photograph (most of which were taken locally), a dot-map showing actual localities rather than grid-squares, and an easy-to-read text shorn of botanical technicalities [...] It gives us what, I am sure, most flowerseekers will want: a good-quality picture, a good map and a comprehensive but readable short text. Once again, it shows what can be done with self-publishing these days, with advanced computer software and the ready availability of good digital images. With the New Flora, hand-in-hand with Rosemary’s New Naturalist volume, the roving naturalist has been well served for the Isles of Scilly."
– Peter Marren, British Wildlife, Volume 28(5), June 2017