Australian Rushes. Biology, Identification and Conservation of Restionaceae and AlliedFamilies by K. A. Meney; J. S. PateReview by: J. Ch.Folia Geobotanica, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Mar., 2003), p. 108Published by: SpringerStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25133962 .

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108 Bookreviews

suggested. Large space is devoted to comprehensive reviews of palynology, seeds, and phytochemistry.

Descriptions of each of the 87 recognized genera are provided, general morphology and palynology are

discussed for each tribe and subtribe, and character evolution is discussed primarily with reference to gynoecial,

staminal, and fruit morphology, woodiness and pollination syndromes. The volume is an excellent example of a

co-operative approach to systematic work and is a significant new contribution to the systematics of

Gentianaceae. It can be recommended to all botanists interested in this family. (JCh)

K.A. Meney & J.S. Pate (eds.): Australian Rushes. Biology, Identification and Conservation of

Restionaceae and Allied Families; University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands and Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, 1999, 486 pp. Price USD 95.-, ISBN 1-876268-01-8. - This is a comprehensive account o? Restionaceae and two closely related families in Australia. It consists of three sections dealing with

biology, taxonomy and conservation of rushes. Taxonomy has even proved notoriously difficult at both genus

and species levels making the present revised classification (150 species of 34 genera) highly welcome.

Illustrated field keys for both Western and Eastern Australian taxa are provided. In addition to reproductive

characters, the authors deliberately favoured vegetative ones to make it easier to properly identify sterile plants. The keys are followed by species descriptions (which provide a range of characteristics, including key anatomical features), indication of conservation status, and high-quality full page drawings. This section is

preceded by chapters dealing with reproductive biology, utilization of resources, response to fire, and effects of

disease and other biotic influences. The volume is concluded with section devoted to conservation. It is designed to serve taxonomists and ecologists as well as specialists in nature conservation and land use. (JCh)

E. Oberdorfer: Pflanzensoziologische Exkursionsflora fur Deutschland und angrenzende Gebiete; Eugen

Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim), 2001, 1051 pp. Price EUR 39.90, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5. - This is eighth edition

of the well-known and for more than 50 years widely used book. In comparison with the previous edition, many

improvements in the text were made and new collaborators contributed to the work. The framework of the

volume are determination keys to orders, families, genera, species, and subspecies (varieties). Each species

entry starts with a list of habitats in which the species usually occurs and with ecobiological characteristics; this

is followed by phytosociological relationships (survey of vegetation units is provided in the introductory part),

distribution in Germany (in general terms) along with altitudinal maxima and/or minima, phytogeographical

characteristics, life form and chromosome number(s). The book will undoubtedly maintain its place among the

standard books for field botanists (not only) in Central Europe. (JCh)

A. Dafni, M. Hesse & E. Pacini (eds.): Pollen and pollination (Special edition of Plant Systematics and

Evolution, Vol. 222, No l^t); Springer, Wien and New York, 2000, 339 pp. Price EUR 143.-, ISBN

3-211-83514-8. - This is an interdisciplinary volume bringing together 16 papers dealing with pollen structure

and constituents, pollen evolutionary ecology and the pollen-pollinator interface. The papers are written by

recognized experts from their respective fields and represent comprehensive reviews of the current state of art.

Those papers devoted to pollen viability and longevity (by A. Dafhi & D. Firmage), selective forces that affect

pollen number (by R.W. Cruden), abiotic pollen and pollination (by J.D. Ackerman), and to convergent

evolution and the adaptive radiation of beetle-pollinated angiosperms (by P. Bernhardt) are most interesting. Two rather interconnected papers deal with orchids, discussing pollinaria structure in relation to its functionality

(by S.D. Johnson & T.J. Edwards), and a new deceptive mechanism in orchids involving Meliponini bees as

pollinators (by D.W. Roubik). (JCh)

M. Nei & S. Kumar: Molecular evolution and phylogenetics; Oxford University Press, New York, 2000, 333

pp. Price GBP 40.-, ISBN 0-19-513589-7 (pbk.). - An enormous amount of DNA sequence data from various

groups of organisms together with the advance in statistical methods of data analysis have allowed for rapid

progress in molecular evolutionary genetics. In this volume, the authors are primarily concerned with statistical

methods. However, deeper insight into mathematical foundations was deliberately omitted. Both methods for

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