Because of her climatic, altitudinal and landscape variations, Nepal is home to a variety of floral and faunal species. Mountains and hills cover about 75 per cent of the country’s total landmass. The plain land in the Terai is also an important source of biodiversity.

The book under review offers an invaluable insight into many species of floral plants found in various parts of Nepal. The book is divided into eight chapters. In the first chapter, the authors have given a brief description about physiography of the country. This chapter highlights the country’s natural environment, watershed and rivers and climatic conditions. In the second part, they have elaborated on ecological biodiversity in the Himalayas.

The third chapter focuses on the country’s floral diversity. In this part, they have described botanical rarities, rhododendrons and relic plant species and mountaineering. The fourth chapter describes the impact of human beings on floral diversity in the country. It also offers information about rare and endangered plants found and conservation status of some endemic plants in Nepal.

The fifth chapter is dedicated to diversity of rhododendrons, while the next chapter deals with orchid diversity in the country. The seventh part explores the country’s ethno-botanical heritage. The final part of the book offers descriptions on the Himalayan floral plants and animals.

Another vital aspect of this book is that it incorporates hundreds of beautiful photographs depicting Nepal’s bio-diversity, scenic beauty and cultural richness. Some of the photographs included in the book have been taken by the authors themselves while the rest have been collected from different organizations, including the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

Being a professor of zoology at the Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University (TU), Dr. Tej Kumar Shrestha, co-author of the book, has visited many regions of the country and observed and studied different species of animals, birds and plants. He has also carried out researches on the migration trends of the Ganges Dolphins in the Saptakoshi river and its tributaries.

Thus, this handy book could be helpful in making Nepal known as an attractive tourist destination. In addition, the students of zoology and tourism and other researchers may find this book to be very useful.