This 2001 book provides a selective annotated bibliography of the principal floras and related works of inventory for vascular plants. The second edition was completely updated and expanded to take into account the substantial literature of the late twentieth century, and features a more fully developed review of the history of floristic documentation. The works covered are principally specialist publications such as floras, checklists, distribution atlases, systematic iconographies and enumerations or catalogues, although a relatively few more popularly oriented books are also included. The Guide is organised in ten geographical divisions, with these successively divided into regions and units, each of which is prefaced with a historical review of floristic studies. In addition to the bibliography, the book includes general chapters on botanical bibliography, the history of floras, and general principles and current trends, plus an appendix on bibliographic searching, a lexicon of serial abbreviations, and author and geographical indexes.

The book includes information on 270 species of vascular plants observed during our surveys conducted in more than 50 islands in Maldives. It deals with the common native as well as all alien plants which are currently occuring in the Islands. Information provided includes the current valid name of the plant, most popular synonyms, names in Dhivehi and a few common English names. Plant descriptions given include data on vegetative characters avoiding confusing scientific terms, as far as possible. Data collected from the fi eld are the source of information on the occurrence and pattern of distribution in different islands. Threats and damages caused by invasive alien species are also included. Ethnobotanical information collected during the study is given under uses. However, use of any plant/plant parts for medicinal purposes, based on the information provided in this book, cannot be recommended for want of evidence on the non-toxicity of the plant/ plant parts. So, the readers of the book are advised to refrain from use of the plant/ plant parts for medicinal purposes. It is hoped that this book will be used as a field guide for identification of native, nonnative and invasive plants of Maldives by specialists and non-specialists alike.

Beyond the tropical paradise and beyond the fear of climate change effects, the Maldives is a fascinating island country that faces social, cultural, economic and environmental transformations. Atolls of the Maldives: Nissology and Geography provides a spatial analysis on some key challenges the Maldivian society has to deal with, and guides the reader in the discovery of the human and environmental geography of this Indian Ocean archipelago. Geographers, political scientists, sociologists, geologists, biologists and experts in environmental policies help the audience to move through the complex systems of interrelations, connections and disconnections that shape the environment and the geography of this extraordinary archipelagic country.