Chapter 46 "Tree of Hong Kong"

"Tree of Hong Kong" "Trees of Hong Kong" is a publication published recently (1969) by the Urban Services Department of Hong Kong One, introducing 120 species of flowers and fruit trees in Hong Kong, with a color photo for each species, Plus a simple English introduction.The printing is beautiful, and the price is not expensive, HK$10 per copy.According to the preamble Said that they are also preparing to print a second episode.This is a very meaningful publishing project. The color photos are beautifully taken, some almost too beautifully taken.as a flower photo It is of course very satisfying to appreciate it as a picture, but it is unavoidable to look at it as a botanical illustration.

It's a bit of a fly in the ointment.Because these photos are close-up shots, only the fruit of this plant can be seen Fruit or a part of flowers and leaves.Can't see his whole face.In addition to the common ones, if the It is difficult to recognize rare trees only by the pieces of flowers or fruits, so I thought In addition to these close-up pictures, each tree should be accompanied by a full picture of the tree film, it can satisfy the needs of more serious readers.In fact, this book is suitable for several kinds of flowering trees. The attached pictures, such as Phoenix wood, banyan tree, sour jujube tree, silver acacia, etc., can be said to have achieved this goal.

Clicked.However, Bauhinia chinensis and sheep's hoof beetle are the most beautiful flower trees in Hong Kong. It is really difficult for people to recognize their true colors.Especially Bauhinia, the city The Government Affairs Department has selected it as the "city flower" of Hong Kong in the past few years, and it should be specially introduced to the public. knowledge. A commendable feature of the compilation of this book is that each species of flowering tree, in addition to its Latin scientific name, In addition, there are common names in English and Chinese names.This work is of course more difficult, but

This is as it should be for a botanical pictorial aimed at general readers. There is also an index of English common names and Chinese common names at the back of the book, which is more convenient for reference.instructions Simple and to the point.But, I want to say it again, only with a close-up photo, such as the sixty-eight A picture of mangoes, photography art is successful, but a reader who has never seen a mango tree took this In this book, if you try to "find out the tree according to the map", you may travel all over Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, and you will not recognize a single mango tree.every kind

Trees really should have a comprehensive picture, which cannot be omitted. The most detailed monograph on the flora of Hong Kong, of course, still has to be the Bensom's book published more than a hundred years ago. The Flora of Hong Kong.At that time, he recorded a total of 1,056 species of flowers and trees growing in Hong Kong.No There is not even a single illustration in the book, but some records in technical terms, which are really difficult for ordinary readers. It's too boring.The publication of "Trees in Hong Kong" by the Urban Affairs Department is suitable for the needs of ordinary people.

And it can fill the void that has been there for a long time.I hope that when the second episode is compiled and printed, it will be able to make the inner It is more complete than the first episode.