Andreé lived in Papua New Guinea from 1947 and spent many years working and exploring the country. Her book is not a botanical work, but an attempt to produce a pictorial and geographical record of some of the orchids of Papua New Guinea. There is a detailed colour map of PNG and a line drawing of the parts of an orchid. Each of the 203 orchid species listed has a brief description of habitat, plant and flower. Over 270 colour photos depict the species from 63 genera. Photography of these beautiful orchids and their habitat is by Roy and Margaret Mackay.