Michel Magras, who teaches science and biology at the Mireille Choisy junior high school in Gustavia, has recently published Flowers of Saint Barthélemy. His book, which is in French and English, classifies 280 species of the 400 different flowers that are found on St Barth and contains 1000 photos. The book is presented as a practical guidebook, but also contains the Latin names and carefully documented scientific characteristics of the plants. Along with the scientific information, you'll find interesting anecdotes. For example, M. Magras tells us that the acacia tree, locally called "bois lolo" has been banned from gardens around houses "and systematically destroyed, while, in fact, their horizontal roots actively fight against the erosion of the soil." Two thousand copies of the book have been published and are available in the bookstores for 25 euros.