The Carpathians spread out for about 1500 km and their area covers c. 190,000 km². These mountains mostly lie in Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Romania, with small parts in Czechia, Austria and Serbia. Carpathians are composed of orographically and geologically distinct chains, several of which reaching elevations above 2200–2500 m. There are no glaciers or permanent snow covers, and only small areas of permafrost have been detected in the Tatras, the highest chain in the Western Carpathians. Subalpine and alpine plants have therefore a discontinuous distribution.

This Atlas on the distribution of the high mountain plants of the Carpathians has successfully been achieved by eleven botanists from five countries: Z. Mirek, A. Nikel, H. Piękoś-Kirkowa from Poland, G. Coldea, V. Cristea, A. Opreda, M. Puşcaš, T. Ursu from Romania, D.R. Letz, K. Marhold from Slovakia and O.O. Kagalo from Ukraine (and their respective collaborators).

The book presents for the first time the distribution maps for 736 high mountain plants, which represent the most interesting floristic elements of the region. It is a good basis for further studies on taxonomy and evolutionary biogeography. Likewise, it will be useful for further biogeographical studies, detecting centres of endemism, and conservation purposes.

Although this Atlas does not include all of the subalpine and alpine plants of the targeted region, it should be considered as one of the most important contributions on plant chorology in the Carpathians and will certainly interest the botanists as well as the nature enthusiasts of the Carpathians mountain flora.