Cycad Classification: Concepts and Recommendations

Cycad Classification: Concepts and Recommendations

Edited by T Walters, Montgomery Botanical Center, Miami, Florida, USA; R Osborne, Burpengary, Queensland, Australia

Pub Date: January 2004
Hardback
304 pages

Readership
Researchers in the field of plant systematists, evolution and conservation; ornamental horticulture

Key Features
• Contributors are leading world cycad scientists
• Cycad glossary and the world list of cycad species for reference
• Provides guidelines for the designation of species, species boundaries and species groupings, thus clarifying what has been a confused area of research

Main Description
Cycads resemble palms, but are taxonomically quite different. They are a significant and irreplaceable component of the planet's biological diversity, having evolved various and often unique morphological, anatomical and biochemical features during their 250-million-year evolutionary history. Many cycad species exist today only as small, poorly-known or isolated populations or as ornamental species in botanic gardens. In order to understand fully, as well as to conserve, this internationally endangered tropical plant group, it is paramount that cycad systematics is studied, documented and refined.
This volume presents the current state of our knowledge of the systematics of the approximately 300 species of cycads. It includes contributions from leading researchers from Australia, China, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and the USA. It has been developed from papers presented at a workshop held in 2002 at the Montgomery Botanical Center.

Reviews
• "This volume on concepts and guidelines is a big step forward towards a better understanding of the Cycadales. I recommend this book for everyone with an interest in Cycads."
Frits Adema, Blumea, 49(2&3), 2004

Main Contents
• "We hold these truths…", T Walters, R Osborne and D Decker, Decker and Associates, Inc, California, USA
• Saving ghosts? The implications of taxonomic uncertainty and shifting infrageneric concepts in the Cycadales for red listing and conservation planning, J Donaldson, National Botanical Institute, South Africa
• Character evolution, species recognition and classification concepts in the Cycadaceae, K D Hill, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia
• Morphological characters useful in determining species boundaries in Cycas (Cycadaceae), A Lindstrφm, Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Chonburi, Thailand
• Comments on Cycas, Dyerocycas and Epicycas (Cycadaceae), C-J Chen, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, K D Hill, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia and D W Stevenson, New York Botanical Garden, USA
• Classification concepts in Encephalartos (Zamiaceae), P Vorster, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Classification concepts in Macrozamia (Zamiaceae) from eastern Australia, P I Forster, Queensland Herbarium, Australia
• Classification concepts in Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae), L M Whitelock, California, USA
• Relationships and phytogeography in Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae), A P Vovides, Instituto de Ecologiα, Mexico, et al.
• A morphometric analysis of the Ceratozamia norstogii complex (Zamiaceae), M A Pιrez-Farrera, UNICACH, Mexico, et al.
• Hypotheses on the relationship between biogeography and speciation in Dioon (Zamiaceae), T J Gregory, Montgomery Botanical Center, Miami, USA and J Chemnick, California, USA
• Molecular phylogeny of Zamia (Zamiaceae), P Caputo, Universitα degli Studi di Napoli, Fedrico II, Italy, et al.
• Systematics of mesoamerican Zamia (Zamiaceae), B Schutzman, University of Florida, USA
• Zamiaceae of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, D W Stevenson, New York Botanical Gardens, USA
• In search of the true tree: guidelines for classification, R Osborne and T Walters
• The world list of cycads, K D Hill, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia, D W Stevenson, New York Botanical Gardens, USA and R Osborne
• Glossary of terms encountered in cycad systematics, R Osborne and T Walters