which describes the amazing lengths that these tiny gems go to to survive at altitude.

Alpine expert author Gillian Price says: »It never ceases to amaze me that such tiny plants can spend months on end buried under metres of snow and ice - weathering temperatures as low as minus 25-C - then sprout back to life when things thaw out and warm up. In springtime you can spot the fragile purple petals of the Alpine Snowbell pushing their way through snow - they contain an anti-freeze that enables them to melt it. Masters of adaption and surival, slpine flowers can trap insects, store pecious water, expel excess minerals and fool insects.«

Each flower entry includes a clear photograph and essential description along with its name in English, Latin, German, French and Italian and interesting information about the origins of some of the more curious flower names. Each on eis also indexed by its English and its Latin name so you can follow up a hunch about a name or finde out more about a flower.