The Genus Cymbidium. David Du Puy & Phillip Cribb. Due January 2008. ISBN: 978 1 84246 147 1. 369 pp., over 200 maps, line drawings, color photographs and 38 full color paintings. Hardcover. $104.50
Cymbidiums are among the most important and popular orchids in horticulture. Starting in late Victorian England, the variety of form and colour in the species encouraged hybridisation that has provided a great diversity of novelties for the nursery trade over the years. They are versatile plants, marketed as cut-flowers, buttonholes and as pot plants, producing many large, long-lasting flowers. Cymbidium growing in the Far East can be traced back to the time of Confucius (about 500 BC), but the first species were only introduced to Europe and China at the end of the 18th century. Relatively few species were seen in cultivation in Britain until the time of the Industrial Revolution, which provided both the leisure time and the money for an explosion of interest in orchid growing. From the mid-19th century onwards, extensive exploration and collection of new species took place. The genus Cymbidium currently comprises some 52 species distributed throughout south and east Asia, the Malay Archipelago and north and east Australia.

A revised classification of the genus and an assessment of specific delimitation and nomenclature within the genus are presented in this monograph. The evidence from DNA data has clarified the relationships and classification of the species. The resurgence of interest in Cymbidium species has highlighted the taxonomic questions that still remain in the genus. The recent rush of new species names in the literature is assessed and nomenclature is clarified. Extensive fieldwork in tropical and subtropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago and Australia has allowed the examination of many species in their wild habitats, contributing valuable information concerning the ecology, natural variation of wild populations and conservation assessments for Cymbidium species, and are provided here for the first time. Cymbidiums are easy to grow, undoubtedly one of the main reasons for their popularity in horticulture. Suitable environmental conditions and composts for cultivation are recommended, while detailed cultivation techniques for the species are discussed by Michael Tibbs, a leading commercial orchid grower.

Orchids of Madagascar. 2nd Edition. Johan and Clare Hermans, David Du Puy, Philip Cribb and Jean Bosser. 2007. ISBN: 9781842461334. 464 pp. Hardcover. $165.00
Almost 1000 orchid species comprise 10% of Madagascar’s higher plant diversity; a remarkable 85% of these unique to the island. Madagascar’s orchids are highly desirable for their beauty and strangeness, and many now are under enormous threat from deforestation and industrialization. The new edition of the classic Orchids of Madagascar now illustrates over 250 orchids, and line drawings of new species are added in an appendix. Almost 100 changes to nomenclature are included and species descriptive notes extended to provide a wealth of information on distribution, habitat and flowering times. All the most essential references are included in the bibliography, with new entries accompanied by concise annotations. This is still the one essential book for botanist, orchid enthusiast, ecologist, environmentalist and field worker who need to have the complete picture on Madagascar’s orchid flora.

Atlas of the Vegetation of Madagascar Vegetation / Atlas de la Vegetation de Madagascar (text in English and French). Justin Moat and Paul Smith. 2007. ISBN: 9781842461983. 124 pp. Hardcover. $196.00
Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, and is recognized as one of the world’s top ten hotspots for biodiversity. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 plant species on the island. Of these, 80 % or more occur nowhere else. Man arrived in Madagascar just 2,000 years ago and since has cleared much of the island’s forest. Supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, this atlas gives a history of vegetation mapping in Madagascar, the methodology used in compiling this atlas and detailed descriptions of each vegetation type, illustrated with photographs and diagrams. Trends in deforestation, extent of occurrence and levels of protection are assessed for each vegetation type. The atlas itself comprises 36 detailed A3 maps, all in high resolution colour, detailing the extent of each vegetation type, roads, trails, rivers, airports and reserves, and a full place name index.

Field Guide to the Rattans of Africa. Terry Sunderland. 2007. ISBN: 781842461808. 68 pp. Paperback. $64.00
Africa’s rattans are the basis for many rural crafts and economies and urban based industries, and have the potential to become a major crop on the world markets as a non-timber forest crop. Written for the worker in the field, whether scientist, forester or farmer, Field Guide to the Rattans of Africa is a easy to use guide to all 22 species found in Africa, their ecology, distribution and sustainable management. Descriptions are based largely on leaf and stem characteristics – not flowers and fruits. More than 120 colour photographs, meticulous line drawings and distribution maps illustrate the text. Colloquial, vernacular and common names are included, with notes on local uses, trade and conservation status. To aid botanists collecting specimens, some very practical advice on handling these prickly plants are included.

Field Guide to the Mangrove Trees of Africa and Madagascar. Henk Beentje and Salomão Bandeira. 2007. ISBN: 781842461358. 91 pp. Paperback. $79.40
Growing on the edge of land and sea, mangrove trees are adapted to an amazing range of environmental factors; they cope with changing salt levels, low soil oxygen, and ever-changing water levels and protect shorelines against tsunamis and cyclones. Extensively illustrated Field Guide to the Mangrove Trees of Africa and Madagascar identifies all the species found in Africa and provides a valuable insight into how they contribute to conservation coastal defence systems, as a shelter for fishery species, and as an important habitat type in its own right.

Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Dennis G. Fowler. 2007. ISBN: 781842462126. 304 pp. Paperback. $130.00
Zambian plants: their vernacular names and uses is a comprehensive list of vernacular names used by the millions of rural Zambians who rely on bush products in their everyday lives. It is also the most comprehensive review of the uses of Zambian plants ever published, listing some 8,181 examples of plant use. Even in this technological age, it is worth remembering that 65% of the drugs that we use in treating cancer are derived from plants. There may well be effective cures in this book that have not yet found wide use, and deserve to do so. This book will be of great value to a wide range of people, including botanists, conservationists, foresters, agriculturalists, pharmacologists, economists, teachers and students.

World Checklist of Dioscoreales. Rafaël Govaerts, Paul Wilkin and Richard M. K. Saunders. 2007. ISBN: 9781842462003. 84 pp. Paperback. $75.00
Dioscoreales are a small but systematically and economically significant order of monocotyledons. The most diverse and important member is the yam genus, Dioscorea L., a source of dietary starch at macroeconomic to rural community levels. Other species of Dioscorea provided the chemical basis of corticosteroid drugs and oral contraceptives. Ally families comprise the unusual, largely achlorophyllous (heteromycotrophic) Burmanniaceae and the relatively unspecialised Nartheciaceae. The World Checklist of Dioscoreales lists all validly published names of yams and their allies, providing the source of their publication and indication of which names are currently accepted and which are synonyms, making it a standard nomenclatural reference for further research into this important family

World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Rafaël Govaerts and David Simpson. 2007. ISBN: 9781842461990. 780 pp. Paperback. $235.60
The sedge family, Cyperaceae, is the third largest family of monocotyledonous plants. They are of significant economic importance, especially among rural communities in the tropics, where sedges are intensively used. The World Checklist of Cyperaceae provides a single source guide to the correct names of all sedges, the source of their publication and indication of which names are currently accepted and which are synonyms. It will be a standard nomenclatural reference for further research into this important family. This makes it Is an invaluable reference for agriculturists, horticulturists, ecologists, conservationists and plant biologists

*JUST REPRINTED* Legumes of the World. G. Lewis. 2005. This is the first comprehensive guide to world legumes, describing and illustrating all 727 genera.
Legumes contribute enormously to the world's economy - through food and drink, pharmaceuticals and medicine, biotechnology, building and construction, textiles, furniture, horticulture, paper and pulp, fertilizers, chemicals, pest control and ecotourism. This book spotlights as yet untapped economic potential and for the first time places genera in a modern systematic framework. Containing over 1,000 illustrations - colour photographs and line drawings - this is a lavish yet much needed reference for botanists and other professionals involved with legumes. ISBN: 1900347806. 592 pp., Colour photographs, line drawings. Hardcover. $141.00Prices may fluctuate with the Currency Exchange Rate!