The mountains of Tasmania possess an unusual alpine vegetation, largely dominated by floriferous or coniferous shrubs, and a flora with strong affinities to those of the other southern lands. There is global interest in Tasmania"s spectacular biological features, as confirmed by David Attenborough"s inclusion of some of its plants in a recent documentary, but no such guide for lay readers has been previously available. Bright Green and Gold offers a concise summary of the natural history of Tasmania"s alpine environment, which continues to attract huge numbers of ecotourists and contains some of the most notable scenery in Australia. It celebrates this region in three ways: it provides a minimally technical account of contemporary knowledge of the ecology and plant geography of the vegetation and flora of the mountains, focusing in particular on the areas in which tree growth is absent; it provides a guide to the major plant communities of the vegetation type; and it serves as an aid to the identification of the more than 400 vascular plant species that occur in the alpine zone. Jamie Kirkpatrick joined with Georgina Davis, who has provided high-quality line drawings, and the late Peter Dombrovskis, whose 24 sumptuous photographs are a testament to his art and to the immense natural beauty of the region.