A beautifully produced A4 softback enabling the identification of this group of 34 species of hawkweeds with very restricted distribution on the northern faces of mountains where late snow lies.

Keys are given to the taxa in different geopgraphical locations: Snowdonia, Lake District and Southern Upland (2 spp), Western Highlands (18 taxa), Central and Eastern Highlands (c. 28 taxa) and Northern Highlands (15 taxa). These are followed by very detailed species accounts (in alphabetical order) abundantly illustrated with photographs and drawings.

The work is too large for packing in a rucksack to take up mountains, but the appropriate key for the area to be explored could be photocopied. The keys make much use of hairs which requires use of a hand lens. The gizz of identifications could be checked against photographs on returning to base. It might also be useful to carry a copy of pages 27-46 (explanation of the characters used and recognition of the section Alpina).