Bermuda's Botanical Wonderland -- A Field Guide -- By Christine Phillips-Watlington -- MacMillan Education Ltd.

Bermuda's Botanical Wonderland is so jam-packed with illustrations if it stays on my bookshelves any longer, I have a sneaking suspicion I will have to start pruning it.

For the book is a comprehensive listing of virtually all Bermuda's plant life -- complete with lovingly-detailed colour illustrations by a trained botanical illustrator.

And Ms Phillips-Watlington -- who once worked at the world-renowned Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew -- has done Bermuda and her visitors a service with what the foreword by conservationist Dr. David Wingate calls a time-capsule of an Island, which, despite its profusion of beauty, could be turned into a virtual desert without eternal vigilance.

The 128-page book is an A-Z of virtually every plant found on these Islands -- and that's quite a lot.

The book includes a helpful section on how to get the most out of it and an index categorising the plates by both Latin and English names, a helpful cross-reference for the amateur.

And a potted history at the start sets the scene for a detailed examination of the unique endemic plants and native and cultivated flora -- and gives some interesting reasons for the imports.

I was not aware, for example, that the almost Triffid-like and ubiquitous Casuarina was only introduced in the 1940s to act as windbreaks after the scale epidemic almost wiped out the native cedars.

Another useful section is the one on habitats, breaking Bermuda into 12 distinctive areas, from the ancient and exotic mangrove swamps to the overlooked hedgerow and wayside.

But most surprising aspect of the comprehensive guide is that nobody -- especially in such a fertile environment -- has apparently produced anything like it since Lord Britton in 1918.

Considering, however, the amount of work and obvious love for Bermuda and its natural heritage displayed by Ms Phillips-Watlington, that's maybe not so surprising after all.

My only regret is that I didn't have this book to hand when my environmentally-conscious nephew visited me.

He's only five but a bright kid and he rapidly became suspicious when I labelled every flower he asked about as hibiscus or oleander -- despite my protestations that both come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

The guide manages to inform without patronising -- and also preaches quite a stern green message, with strict instructions not to tamper with nature and severe warnings about the effect of unchecked development and pollution.

The only criticism I might have is the book's size and shape -- it's hard-backed and almost coffee-table sized rather than pocket-sized.

I can only speak for myself, but five minutes in Pembroke Marsh and I'd be scraping off the mud and trying to dry it out with a lighter.

But I admit, a lot of detail in the marvellous illustrations would be lost in a smaller size -- but perhaps, if the book proves a success, a smaller edition might be considered by the publishers.

The book comes in time for Christmas and is an ideal present for those who know Bermuda, both at home and abroad.

And it might be an even better gift for those who don't recognise the fragility of the ecostructure in Bermuda and everywhere else, for that matter.

Peruse it or lose it, you might say.

RAYMOND HAINEY BOOK REVIEW REV