A new book celebrating the flora of Phillip Island will be launched this Saturday, with an event at Berninneit.

The Field Guide to the Native Flora of Millowl (RRP $40) has been written by Mitch Burrows, with illustrations by Phillip Island artist Tegan Carter, whose images will be on display on Saturday.

The launch will be at the Cowes library on March 16, from 5pm, with a welcome to country, followed by book sales and signings.

Bookings are through Eventbrite to reserve attendance at the free event.

Mitch says it has been a long project, first started in 2019, after receiving a $10,000 environment grant.

The non-profit guide focuses on about 200 of the most common, significant and threatened of the island's terrestrial and marine plants, with full page descriptions.

To write each plant's description, he waded through the Royal Botanic Gardens online database, VicFlora, as well as seeking first-hand accounts and cross-referencing with ecologists and local enthusiasts at the Barb Martin Bushbank and Phillip Island Conservation Society (PICS).

Like Mitch, Tegan dedicated countless hours to intimately understanding her subject, firstly researching images and descriptions online and in books, before taking to the field to hunt out specimens for photos.

"Some of them are simple to identify but some are harder to find and identify and I have to speak to the experts, like John Eddy (at the Phillip Island Conservation Society PICS) or James (at the Barb Martin Bushbank)," Tegan says, explaining illustrations each took about a day to complete.

Tickets are free, but please reserve you attendance at eventbrite.com.au