Numerous taxonomic revisions and a substantial amount of additional floristic information have become available since the publication of Streimann & Curnow's Catalogue of Mosses of Australia and its External Territories in 1989. Monographs of Australian families and genera have included descriptions of many new taxa and the reduction of an even larger number of names to synonymy. Moreover, many taxa have been newly reported from Australia, while other Australian records have proved to be based on misidentifications or could not otherwise be confirmed. Taxonomic revisions from other regions have also resulted in many name changes among Australian taxa, and floristic research has provided numerous new State and Territory records.

The present publication includes all literature records, published and seen up to March 1987, for the Australian States, the Australian capital territory and the Northern territory. The Australian external territories of Christmas Island, Norfolk Island, the Antarctic territories and Heard (with Mcdonald) Island are listed separately. The only mosses listed for Cocos (Keeling) Islands are from collections held at the Cryptogamic Herbarium of the Australian National Botanic Gardens (CBG) because no literature references were found. A list of the new fossil moss species reported for Australia also forms a separate section.

A richly illustrated, full-colour identification guide to almost 500 mosses, liverworts and hornworts in southern Australia. The book includes an introduction to the bryophytes, information on the collection, storage and naming of specimens, indentification keys, descriptions, thumb-nail anatomical sketches and more than 250 beautiful colour photographs.

Cover title: Australian mosses.

Cover title: Australian mosses.