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1640 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(3) BOOKREVIEW MarkFianac^.anandTonyKirkham.2005.PlantsFromtheEdgeoftheWorld: NewExplorationsintheFarEast.CISBN0-88192-676-0,hbk.).TimberPress Inc.133S.W.SecondAve,Suite450,Portland,OR97204-3527,U.S.A.and TimberPress,2StationRd,Swavsey,CambridgeCB45QJ,U.K.(Orders: www.timberpress.com,[email protected],503-227-2878,1-800-327- 5680,503-227-3070fax).$39.95,312pp.,colormaps,numerouscolorpho- tos,71/4"X9/14". Thi.sengagingbool<chroniclesihcanihors'plant-collectingexpeditionsIntheFarHastintheafter- matholtheGreatStorm(HurricanellugojolC~)ctober1987,whichdevastatedRoyalBotanicGar- dens,Kew,LondonandWakehurstPlaceinWestSussex.Duringthesubsequentassessmentoldam- ageanduu'cntor}'ofthecollections,itbecamecleartliattherewerelargegapsinboththetaxonomic andgeographicrepresentationoftheworld'stemperatewoodlands,especiallythoseIromtheedgeoi easternAsia.Aplantcollectingprogramwasde\'clopedtargetingareasoltheworldthatwereunder- representedinKew'scollections.JointexpeditionstoSichuan,Chinaweremountedbyothers;the authoi'sknindthemselvesinchargeofexpeditionstosomeveryremoteareasmKorea,Tai\\'an,east- ernRussiaandJapan- Plantsandhuntingthemlormtheheartolthebook,butthestoryisasmuchanadventuretale asoneaboutbotany.Wellwritten,iiexerdi\',olienexciting,sotnetimeshilarious,thebookallowsthe readertoexperiencee\'cntsmanimmediate\s'a\'throughtheuseollirst-personnarrati\'e.From theireight-hourclimbtoaKoreanmountaintoptocrossingastorm-swollenriverinRussiahand- m-hand,theauthorskeepthereader'sattention.Theyeatsandpiperstew,butpassonpigs"ears.They savorbeerinseveralmemorableplaces.TheylookmorekindlyonSpamafterdaysinTodongwheie thesmelloldr\iiigscpudpermeatestheairAndone\'ery|iagetheydescribetheplantstheyare huntingandthewaytheyarehuntingthem.Theypursuetheirgoalsthoughrain,hail,heat,coldand darkofnight,alwayswithasenseofhumor.ThinkofMichaelPalincrossedwithapostman-bota- nistandyougettheidea. ThelinalchapterdetailswhathashappenedatKewandWakehurstPlaceastiiecollections havebeenplantedandgrown.ThebookalsoincludeshomagetothosewhowentbeforethematKew, notablyE.H.Wilson,inwJiosefootstepstheauthorsfouirdthemselveswalkingastheygatheredseed inthespecies-riehtemperateforestsonthe"edgeoltheworld." MarkFlan,ig,miscurrentlyKeeperoftheCiardensinWindsorGreatPark,withresponsibili- tieslortheworld-renownedSavillandValleyGardensandthegardensatFrogmore,TonyKirkham isFleadoftheArboretumandHorticulturalServicesattheRoyalBotanicGarden,Kew,wherehe careslortheexistingheritagelandscapeandwoodyplantcollectionsandmaintainstheintegrity anddevelopmentoltheli\'ingscicntilieplantcollections.Bothtraxelextensivelylorplantcollecting trips,lectureandpublish.—Pcnn)'MfCo()lc.\'()liinicer,Hii(((nfu(iRcsctiirhmslilulfolTcxas.50^)Pccini Streel,ForlWorth,TX76102-4060,U.S.A. SIDA21(3):1640.2005