Diversity and Evolutionary Biology of Tropical Flowers

A unique account of the structure, biology and evolution of tropical flowering plants.

Peter K. Endress (Author)

9780521565103, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 25 July 1996

528 pages, 140 b/w illus. 5 tables
22.9 x 15.3 x 2.8 cm, 0.88 kg

'This book provides a wealth of information that will be of great value to all persons interested in plant systematics, phylogeny, structure-function relationships and ecology.' Taxon

The study of flowers provides a unique insight into the biology and evolution of flowering plants as a whole. The comparative study of flowers began in temperate regions and as a consequence most books on flowers are concerned with temperate plants. In contrast, this volume concentrates on tropical flowers which, whilst sharing many of the features seen in temperate flowers, exhibit phenomena which are purely tropical. The first part of the volume deals with general structural and biological features of flowers and shows facets of their diversity. The second part focuses on the flowers of selected tropical plants and emphasizes their structural and biological idiosyncrasies and evolutionary features. New trends in the study of floral evolution and the role of flowers in the study of flowering plant phylogeny are also outlined.

1. Introduction
2. Floral organisation (bauplan, groundplan)
3. Floral construction (architecture, gestalt)
4. Floral adaptations to different pollinators (floral styles)
5. Special differentiations associated with pollinator attraction
6. Special differentiations associated with the breeding system
7. The process of anthesis
8. Floral structure: biology of selected systematic groups in the tropics
9. Aspects of flower evolution
10. Prospects
Index.

Subject Areas: Botany & plant sciences [PST], Evolution [PSAJ]