Weeds of the South-East

Reviews

"You won’t find anything more comprehensive and useful than this book."
Ian Fraser's Natural History Reviews, February 2025

"The authors are to be congratulated on the care with which this has been done"
John Dwyer KC, Australian Garden History Society, 9 February 2025

"Weeds of the South-East is an outstanding reference that sits on my desk more than my bookshelf. There’s no other resource quite like it for identifying wild and weedy plants in the region. The effort that went into creating it is intimidating, but the authors’ thoughtful choices—such as their selection of photos and the concise way they highlight key identifying features—make it accessible and useful for both experts and beginners. I was genuinely worried when I learned it had gone out of print; I didn’t want such a valuable resource to become unavailable. So, I’m relieved to see it back in circulation, now featuring updated nomenclature and high-quality printing that enhances the usefulness of the photos."
Adam Grubb, permaculture educator and co-author of The Weed Forager's Handbook

Features

• Covers weeds of agriculture, bushland, waterways, gardens, roadsides, wasteland and amenity areas, as well as new and emerging problem species.
• Illustrated with more than 3000 photographs, including spectacular close-up shots.
• Key features are described with relevant measurements for easier identification.
• Comparisons are made to similar species and easily confused natives.
• The South-East Region covers all of Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, the southern half of New South Wales and the south-eastern section of South Australia.

Contents

Authors

Fiona J. Richardson gained her Honours degree in Art and Sociology from the University of London in 1978. She worked as a market and business research consultant in Europe before emigrating to Australia in 1994. She now specialises in book design and typesetting, as well as continuing her interest in plant identification and photography.

Rob G. Richardson gained his Master of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne in 1976. He spent the first half of his career as a research scientist at the Keith Turnbull Research Institute in Frankston, Victoria, working on the physiology and ecology of weeds, and the application and formulation of herbicides. Rob is now retired, and a keen sailor and plant photographer.

Ros C. H. Shepherd gained her Master of Science from the University of Queensland in 1966 and Master of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne in 1984. She spent many years as an entomologist at the Keith Turnbull Research Institute in Frankston, Victoria, working on the biological control of pest plants and animals, which included research in South Africa. Ros has travelled around Australia and the world photographing and documenting plants, and is now retired.