One hundred native flowers of Aotearoa revealed in extraordinary 3D photography.

Aotearoa has at least 2,200 native species of flowering plants that have evolved in our unique conditions, and the vast majority of them grow nowhere else on earth. This has made New Zealand a natural laboratory for studies of flower biology and a vibrant wonderland of gardens and bush for Māori and Pākehā to enjoy.

He Puāwai is a natural history of New Zealand flowers, focusing on 100 native species to represent the full range of flower phenomena of Aotearoa – from familiar iconic flowers of kōwhai, mānuka and pōhutukawa to oddities like the water-pollinated flowers of eelgrass, bat-pollinated blossoms of kiekie, and the world’s smallest flowers, Wolffia. Each flower’s text describes and explains its structure and functions, alongside over 500 remarkable photographs that enable the reader (with the viewer included in the book) to view the flowers miraculously in 3D.

For gardeners and foragers, for bush walks and coffee tables, He Puāwai is an inspirational natural history of the native flowers of Aotearoa.

Author

Philip Garnock-Jones is a botanist, emeritus professor and former chair of botany at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. He is an internationally renowned expert on plant diversity and the author of over 100 scientific articles for local and international journals.

Endorsements

‘Remember when you were small, and the minute details of everything – shapes, colours patterns – were so absorbing. I suspect Phil Garnock-Jones never lost that wonder at all, and here he shares it generously. It’s impossible to pore through the pages of He Puāwai without feeling amazement rekindled – and realising there are infinitely more ways than you imagined to greet, observe and learn from these tiny taonga, the flowers of Aotearoa.’
— Johanna Knox, author of The Forager’s Treasury

‘This book, like no other, opens a microscopic window to appreciate native plants. The luscious detail, both in the crisp stereo imagery and in the carefully descriptive text, captures and holds the attention of anyone who has enjoyed the attraction provided by flowers. I predict this book will inspire another generation of botanists and nature lovers in Aotearoa. Not many books deserve their place as a textbook (which deepens our understanding of native plants) and equally as a (stunningly captivating) coffee table book.’
— Tim Park, Manager, Ōtari Wilton’s Bush

‘Who would have thought that a book about flowers (almost universally loved simply for their beauty) could both celebrate their aesthetic appeal and at the same time relate so well the mind-boggling stories of their biological function and evolution? Phil Garnock-Jones achieves this with excellent photography, including liberal use of stereo pairs, and with text that informs, never talks down to a general audience, but somehow remains scientifically precise and broadly entertaining. I love this book.’
— Hugh Wilson, botanist and kaitiaki, Hinewai Reserve, Banks Peninsula

‘He Puāwai is an outstanding new release that tells compelling stories about our unique native flora. Phil Garnock-Jones is one of the most knowledgeable and respected experts in his field, so unsurprisingly the book is authoritative with detailed plant descriptions that are informative yet easily read and understood. The text is perfectly complemented by outstanding photography that illustrates the exquisite beauty so often overlooked in our native plants. The images really come to life when viewed in 3D with the viewers provided, the first time I have encountered this innovation. I regard this as the best and most inspiring book of its type to hit our shelves in many years and recommend it as a “must read” for all who love our native flora.’
— Jack Hobbs, manager, Auckland Botanic Gardens

‘I found this project of a high standard and on a topic that should be of general interest to naturalists, walkers and the lay public, and of course botanists and those interested in floral biology. I believe it provides a unique perspective of New Zealand flowers, a topic that has been of worldwide interest to botanists and plant evolutionary biologists. I am not aware of any book of this type that features 3D images of flowers, and I think this is a key strength of the proposed volume.’
— Professor Spencer Barrett, FRS, University of Toronto