All bryologists need books to help them identify the plants they see. Of those in print in the UK, these are the most useful:

• British Mosses and Liverworts E V Watson
  This classic volume remains the best introductory book on British bryophytes, and covers most of the commoner species. Whilst the nomenclature is rather out of date, it remains an invaluable book for beginners. (3rd Edition, 1981, CUP, ISBN 0521285364)
• The Moss Flora of Britain and Ireland A J E Smith
  The standard identification guide for mosses. Indispensible for the serious student. A second edition has been published. (2004, CUP, ISBN 0 521 81640 8 h/b, 0 521 54672 9 p/b)
• The Liverworts of Britain and Ireland A J E Smith
  The companion volume to the above. (1990, CUP, ISBN 0 521 23834 X)
• The Liverwort Flora of The British Isles J A Paton
  This tour de force has brought Jean Paton international recognition. A substantial book, with very full descriptions and superb illustrations by the author. (1999, Harley Books, ISBN 0 946589 60 7)
• A Check-list and Census Catalogue of British and Irish Bryophytes Blockeel & Long
  Gives the standard nomenclature and vice-county distribution as of 1998. Essential, and available from the BBS librarian. The data is also available for download on this site, and has been brought up to date to include amendments.

A superb guide to the biology and ecology of bryophytes, particularly from a UK perspective, can now be found in the recently published

• Mosses and Liverworts Ron Porley and Nick Hodgetts
  This indispensible book is a unique, fascinating and scholarly introduction to the subject. It maintains the high quality of the New Naturalist series from Collins. (2005, Collins, ISBN 0 002 202123 h/b 0 007 174004 p/b)
  

Other books that you might see for sale secondhand, and are worth having, are

• The Student's Handbook of British Mosses H N Dixon
• The Student's Handbook of British Hepatics S M Macvicar

There are many good books published overseas which are still useful in this country. A specialist provider, who can usually obtain these more cheaply that other importers, is Roy Perry at Broadleaf Books (email: Broadleafbooks1@aol.com). He also has a selection of secondhand bryology books.

Photographs

A few books and guides have a selection of bryophyte photographs. The best way of obtaining bryophyte images is to purchase CDs of digital images, for example those by:

Michael Lüth
http://homepages.compuserve.de/milueth/Moose/index.htm

Jan-Peter Frahm
http://www.bryologie.uni-bonn.de/english/contentGB/DiaGB.htm