Atlas of North European Vascular Plants (North of the Tropic of Cancer). 3 vols.(1 text- & 2 map-volumes).1986. 1936 distribution maps (12.7 x 16 cm) in two colours. With index to mapped plants.XVI,1172 p.4to.Bound. (ISBN 978-3-87429-263-4)

Second hand copy. Ex-library stamp on title page. Good condition.

Quotation from the introduction: In 1950 Eric Hulten published Atlasoever vaexternas utbredning i Norden (Atlas of the Distribution ofVascular Plants in NW. Europe). A revised edition was issued in 1971,comprising in all 1930 distribution maps. This atlas was followed by a wide-ranging project aiming at a presentation of the total distribution of the North European vascular plants. According to this plan Hulten began with The Amphi-Atlantic Plants, published in 1958 (reprinted in1973) in Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens handlingar, 4th ser.,vol. 7, no. 1. This work contains 278 distribution maps. The next issue in this project was The Circumpolar Plants, part I in 1962 (reprinted in1964) and part II in 1971. They contain together 529 maps. However, the extensive project mentioned above was further developed. A considerable amount of distributional data were compiled and recorded on maps, in all 1936 in number. In these the above-mentioned amphi-atlantic and circumpolar plant maps were included. They have later been revised and completed by the editor. The selection of the mapped taxa was made by Hulten. Many of the 1936 maps presented in this work show the distribution of one or more taxa besides the taxon for which the map is elaborated. Altogether about 4475 plant taxa are treated, either on the maps or in the text of the present work. All maps are elaborated in the traditional manner with exact indication of the occurrences when possible (by dots or equal signs). Limiting lines and hatching have been used in cases where only general information has been obtained or considered to be sufficient. Thus the mapping is not adapted to a grid system with squares, often used in modern works, especially in fairly well explored areas, e.g. in Perring & Walters, Atlas of the British Flora (1962). The maps are arranged in taxonomic order. Thus no attempt has been made to group the maps phytogeographically, as Hulten did in the amphi-atlantic and circumpolar works. Regrettably Hulten was not able to fulfill this comprehensive project. Prolonged illness and finally decease (in 1981) resulted in a standstill of the work. In this situation Magnus FRIES was asked by the head of the Section of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Professor Rolf Santesson, to try to complete the project. A procedure was arranged so that (1) the maps were examined, completed, and corrected if necessary, and (2) comments were added to elucidate the maps. Consequently the aim was to publish two parts, one part (in two volumes) with the 1936 maps and another par twith explanatory text. In a work of this kind problems in taking position on taxonomic questions often arise. In this case the intention has been to follow the taxonomic conception of Hulten, as far as it is shown in his notes and drafts of earlier publications. However, in some cases the nomenclature has been adapted to the results of modern taxonomic treatment presented in, for instance, Flora Europaea, vol. 1-5(1964-80). In order to avoid misunderstanding selected synonyms arei nserted in the commentary text. It must be added that Hulten, knowing the Russian language, had an exceptional advantage to follow the Russian plant-geographical literature (up to about 1976).