This well illustrated field guide describes about 500 of the most common and eye-catching plants growing on Bali and the adjacent Java, most of them are illustrated with pictures. It is a comprehensive and valuable field guide for tourists and locals. The first part of the book describes the vegetation of Bali. It gives an overview of the Balinese ecosystems. Monsoon forests in the south, moist rainforests in the mountains and dry deciduous forests on the northern slopes generate patterns of unique ecosystems all over the island. The second part of the book is dedicated to the plant species living on Bali. With 400 pictures and their accurate descriptions, the reader should be able to recognize the different species in its habitat. Additionally the book provides information about the traditional und the commercial use of the described plants and characterizes their ecological behavior. The field guide is an essential travel companion for all who love nature.

A tree is defined as a woody perennial plant, having a single elongated trunk with several branches spreading at a certain height which give shape to its canopy (crown). The trunk usually has a minimum diameter of 10 cm at chest height. The leaves may be deciduous (falling seasonally) or evergreen. Young trees with a trunk measuring less than 10 cm in diameter are called saplings. Most tree species are flowering plants or conifers. They are distributed throughout the world, with the highest diversity in rainforests of the tropical regions. The majority of tree species belong to the families Dipterocarpaceae (Dipterocarps), Fagaceae (Beech family) and Lauraceae (Laurel family). Trees are used to produce a variety of our needs, including timber, furniture, paper and medicine. They also play an important role in preserving the environment (ecosystems) by preventing land degradation and erosion, producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide and managing microclimates.