"The vegetation of Tasmania, like that of any other region of the world, is imperfectly known, but this book synthesises our knowledge, covering all the major terrestrial vegetation types as well as introducing the climate, geology, ecological processes and general environment of Tasmania, the plant fossil record, endemism and conservation imperatives. Most of the chapters deal with the living vegetation, but always underlying that theme is the historical significance of the processes that shaped it."

[Taken from the publisher's summary. Note: this book is a reprint of the 1999 edition with the same title.]