An intuitive introduction to 200 of our most common and conspicuous lichens, which can be identified with nothing more than a magnifying lens and some practice.

Lichens colour our landscapes, adding subtle textures and hues to our environments, urban and wild alike. There are more than 2,000 species in Britain and Ireland, and working out where to begin when it comes to identifying them can be daunting.

This beautifully illustrated introductory guide provides a novel and beginner-friendly approach to lichen identification, featuring three main sections:

- habitats that are good for lichen-hunting, and the species you may encounter
- summaries of the overarching lichen groups, and what to focus on when identifying individual species within them
- image-rich species profiles, organised by growth form and colour, with descriptions of key physical features, habitat notes, distribution maps, and details of look-alike species

Designed for practical use in the field, with cover flaps displaying visual reminders of the main growth forms, key identification terms and a scale bar, Lichens of Britain and Ireland is an indispensable guide for anyone wishing to know more about the diverse and colourful tapestry of lichens that can be found all around us.

Rebecca Yahr is a botanist, lichenologist and teacher, working as Lichen Biodiversity Scientist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Trustee and past president of the British Lichen Society, she is also a leader of the IUCN SSC Lichen Specialist Group.

Frances Stoakley is a co-author of Lichens: Making the Invisible Visible survey and the Royal Botanic Garden lichen safari guides. She has taught lichen courses for the Field Studies Council and hosts identification walks for beginners.