RHODORA, Vol. 98, No. 896, 459, 1996 p. BOOK REVIEW Flora of Berkshire County, Massachusetts by Pamela B. Weather- ISBN bee. 1996. 135 48 color photos. 0-9648211-0-9. pp. MA. Museum, $20,00 Berkshire (paper). Pittsfield, This highly readable and accessible modern flora provides a wealth of information on the history, geology, vegeta- floristics, communities and tion vascular plant species of Berkshire County. The habitat diversity of this 940-square mile region, which ex- tends from Connecticut to Vermont, includes calcareous, serpen- tine, and metamorphic substrates and has a 2900-ft. elevation range, contributing to the occurrence of the 37 distinct plant com- munities for which Ms. Weatherbee provides comprehensive and detailed descriptions. The book contains considerable information on each of the 1,675 taxa recorded from the county: whether native or intro- duced, frequency and abundance, flowering and habitats, fruiting dates and distribution within the county. Genera and species are in alphabetical order and nomenclature generally follows Kartesz. uncommon Eight color plates illustrate rare and species. Ms. Weatherbee also provides on change; exotics statistics floristic account for 27 percent of the taxa, and 35 native taxa and 107 have migrated county comprehensive aliens into the since the last survey The book which in 1922. also includes a of species list observed are occasionally but are nonpersistent. recommend volume model modern highly I this as a for flo- New treatments England. provides comprehensive ristic in a It picture of the flora of this complex segment of the region, and an engaging and well-written introduction to the habitat charac- teristics that account for species distributions and the occurrence of plant communities western Massachusetts. in — VHB, Box Lisa A. Standley, Inc., P.O. 9151, 101 Walnut MA Watertown, 02272. Street, 459