Flora of the County of Wicklow

Map of the 8 botanical subdivisions of Wicklow

Brunker was scientific in his approach to listing plants found in Wicklow and he wanted to ensure he created a solid base from which further fieldwork could be carried out.To achieve a high degree of accuracy in his listings he divided the county into 8 botanical subdivisions.He used names of the Baronies in existence and an approximation of their areas.Boundaries were simplified to the nearest road or stream.eg. Lower Talbotstown 137 square miles, 541 species. As plant names and the index to plants are given in Latin this book is indeed a scholarly work.A begiiner would be advised to have an illustrated flower book to hand...The common names are sometimes included but due to the variety of names according to locality it was not practical to include all of them.Brunkers map is clearly marked by 8 areas.

cp Dundalgon Publisher

Map of the 8 botanical subdivisions of Wicklow
cp Dundalgon Publisher

Map of the 8 botanical subdivisions of Wicklow

Brunker was scientific in his approach to listing plants found in Wicklow and he wanted to ensure he created a solid base from which further fieldwork could be carried out.To achieve a high degree of accuracy in his listings he divided the county into 8 botanical subdivisions.He used names of the Baronies in existence and an approximation of their areas.Boundaries were simplified to the nearest road or stream.eg. Lower Talbotstown 137 square miles, 541 species. As plant names and the index to plants are given in Latin this book is indeed a scholarly work.A begiiner would be advised to have an illustrated flower book to hand...The common names are sometimes included but due to the variety of names according to locality it was not practical to include all of them.Brunkers map is clearly marked by 8 areas.

cp Dundalgon Publisher

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James P. Brunker (1855-1960) is the author of a book entitled "Flora of the County of Wicklow" which was published in 1950. His book contains a listing of the plants and flowers he recorded on his travels throughout Wicklow. For a period of twenty-five years he spent his free time travelling and recording these specimens. This book is a valuable source of information as it lists over 800 species of plants and their locations.

To facilitate accurate fieldwork he divided Wicklow into 8 botanical subdivisions based on Baronies already in existence. This provided clear reference points for the location of these plants and it formed a geographical basis for further studied in the field. In terms of botanical history it provides an important source of comparison as some of the plants listed are no longer to be found in the county. Changes in the environment or manmade developments may be the cause of this.

According to Brunker the recording of the flora of Wicklow began with the publication of "A Catalogue of Indigenous Plants of Ireland" by James Townsend Mackay in 1825. Seventy-four Wicklow plants were listed in this publication and Brunker believed this laid the foundations for botanical research in the county.