Books on identifying native plants in Singapore
By Pek Leng Leng, 01 Oct 2009
Summary
More and more people are interested to recognise their local native flora. Identifying plants helps us understand why, where and how species survive, reproduce, compete, disperse, adapt and grow as well as makes records for future reference. Besides books, field guides, plant specimens, photographs, websites and expert advice are other useful identification tools.
Knowing how plants are named will help in recognition and familarity of the plant diversity. In short, there is an international system for naming plants known as binomial ("two names") nomenclature. The first name refers to a plant's genus, the second its species. Common names are non-scientific names given to species e.g. money plant (scientific name, Epipremnum aureum). Below is a list of selected books on the subject.
References
1. Book |
| Title: | 1001 garden plants in Singapore / Boo Chih Min, Kartini Omar-Hor, Ou-Yang Chow Lin. |
| Author: | Boo, Chih Min |
| Publisher: | Singapore : National Parks Board, c2006. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 581.95957 BOO |
| Description: | First ed. published 2003. |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
2. Book |
| Title: | The natural heritage of Singapore / Hugh T.W. Tan ... [et al.]. |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Pearson/Prentice Hall, c2007. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 508.5957 NAT |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
3. Book |
| Title: | A guide to growing the native plants of Singapore / Hugh T.W. Tan and T. Morgany. |
| Author: | Tan, Hugh T. W |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Singapore Science Centre, 2001. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 581.95957 TAN |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
4. Book |
| Title: | Plants and flowers of Singapore / Ivan Polunin. |
| Author: | Polunin, Ivan, 1920- |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Times Editions, c1987. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 581.95957 POL |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
5. Book |
| Title: | A guide to the mangroves of Singapore 1 : the ecosystem and plant diversity / editors: Peter K.L. Ng, N. Sivasothi. |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Singapore Science Centre, 1999. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 577.698095957 GUI |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
6. Book |
| Title: | The plants of the Singapore botanic gardens : an annotated check-list / compiled by I.M. Tuner. |
| Author: | Turner, I. M. (Ian Mark), 1963- |
| Publisher: | Singapore : National Parks Board, c2000. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 580.735957 TUR |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
7. Book |
| Title: | A guide to the wayside trees of Singapore / by Wee Yeow Chin ; all photographs by the author ; designed by Singapore Science Centre. |
| Author: | Wee, Yeow Chin |
| Publisher: | Singapore : The Centre, 1989. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 582.16095957 WEE |
| Description: | Bibliography: p. 160. |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
8. Book |
| Title: | Trees of Bukit Timah campus : a tribute to old friends / Shawn K.Y. Lum, Hugh T.W. Tan, Wee Yeow Chin ; edited by Vilma D’Rozario and Lye Lin Heng. |
| Author: | Lum, Shawn |
| Publisher: | Singapore : National University of Singapore and Nature Society (Singapore), 2007. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 582.16095957 LUM |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
9. Book |
| Title: | A guide to herbs and spices of Singapore / by Wee Yeow Chin. |
| Author: | Wee, Yeow Chin |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Singapore Science Centre, 2003. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 581.63095957 WEE |
| Description: | “Sponsored by BP.” |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
10. Book |
| Title: | Growing at your doorstep : 35 native plants of Singapore / Hugh T.W. Tan and Chua Keng Soon. |
| Author: | Tan, Hugh T. W |
| Publisher: | Singapore : National Council on the Environment, 1995. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 581.95957 TAN |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
11. Book |
| Title: | Wild plants of Nantah / by Chan Bee Bee ...[et al.]. |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Biology Society of Nanyang University, 1964. |
| Call No.: | RCLOS Other 582.13095957 NAN |
| Description: | Added t.p. in Chinese. In English and Chinese. 1964, MFM: 11767 |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Closed Access |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
12. Book |
| Title: | A guide to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve / [Wee Yeow Chin and Clive Briffett ; illustrations by Eric Tan ... et al.]. |
| Author: | Wee, Yeow Chin |
| Publisher: | Singapore : Nature Society, [1992]. |
| Call No.: | RCLOS English 333.78095957 WEE |
| Description: | Jointly published by Mobil. |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Closed Access |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
13. Book |
| Title: | Tropical plants of Malaysia & Singapore / text by Elisabeth Chan ; photographs by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni. |
| Author: | Chan, Elisabeth |
| Publisher: | [Hong Kong] : Periplus Editions, c2000. |
| Call No.: | YRSING English 581.95957 CHA |
| Description: | Includes index. |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Young People Ref. Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |
14. Book |
| Title: | The gardens at a glance / [text by Ruth Kiew ... [et al.]. |
| Publisher: | Singapore : National Parks Board, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 2006. |
| Call No.: | RSING English 580.735957 GAR |
| Availability: | Lee Kong Chian Reference Library-Reference Singapore |
| Last Accessed Date: | 30 Sep 2009 |