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Aquatic and wetland plants of South-eastern United States. Dicotyledons
Aquatic Botany, 19 (1984) 193--197 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands
193
Book Refiews A REGIONAL WETLAND FLORA OF THE SOUTH-EASTERN UNITED STATES Aquatic and Wetland Plants o f South-eastern United States. Dicotyledons by R.K. G o d f r e y and J.W. Wooten. The University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA, U.S.A., 1981, x + 933, pp., $ 40.00, ISBN 0-8203-0532-4. This volume completes the treatment of the aquatic and wetland plants of South-eastern United States. The other volume, on the Monocotyledons, was published in 1979. The I n t r o d u c t i o n is short and almost identical to the one in the first volume. It is followed by a number of "artificial" keys to the families. The arrangement of the families follows the system of Dalla Torre and Harms. The keys are good and offer clear choices. The descriptions of the taxa are rather elaborate b u t clear, and in cases where the authors have some d o u b t about the value of taxa, or where there are difficulties with the taxonomical concept, t h e y say so. T h e y also refer to more specialized literature where t h e y consider t h a t this would be valuable to the reader. The figures are generally of good quality but there are a few that have n o t been optimally printed, e.g. figures 262, 355, 356 and 357. The flora is concluded by a glossary (10 pages) and a list of references (only 4 pages). I carefully checked the true aquatic plants and f o u n d their t r e a t m e n t adequate and up to date. The concept " w e t l a n d p l a n t " has been used in the widest sense. Trees are also incorporated; n o t only Salix, Alnus, Nyssa and some mangrove species, b u t also representatives of genera such as Quercus, Castanea and Magnolia. In f a c t , I wonder what percentage of the total flora of the area is included. Although one m a y quarrel about marginal species which might or might n o t have been included in this work, the advantage of the wide concept is t h a t practically all species of wet and moist areas can be identified. A disadvantage, however, is t h a t the book is unsuitable for field work, and has to stay in the laboratory. I can r e c o m m e n d everyone concerned with aquatic and wetland plants to purchase this work, because its price is extremely m o d e s t for w h a t is offered. C. DEN HARTOG Laboratorium voor A quatische Oecologie Toernooiveid, Nijmegen The Netherlands
193
Book Refiews A REGIONAL WETLAND FLORA OF THE SOUTH-EASTERN UNITED STATES Aquatic and Wetland Plants o f South-eastern United States. Dicotyledons by R.K. G o d f r e y and J.W. Wooten. The University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA, U.S.A., 1981, x + 933, pp., $ 40.00, ISBN 0-8203-0532-4. This volume completes the treatment of the aquatic and wetland plants of South-eastern United States. The other volume, on the Monocotyledons, was published in 1979. The I n t r o d u c t i o n is short and almost identical to the one in the first volume. It is followed by a number of "artificial" keys to the families. The arrangement of the families follows the system of Dalla Torre and Harms. The keys are good and offer clear choices. The descriptions of the taxa are rather elaborate b u t clear, and in cases where the authors have some d o u b t about the value of taxa, or where there are difficulties with the taxonomical concept, t h e y say so. T h e y also refer to more specialized literature where t h e y consider t h a t this would be valuable to the reader. The figures are generally of good quality but there are a few that have n o t been optimally printed, e.g. figures 262, 355, 356 and 357. The flora is concluded by a glossary (10 pages) and a list of references (only 4 pages). I carefully checked the true aquatic plants and f o u n d their t r e a t m e n t adequate and up to date. The concept " w e t l a n d p l a n t " has been used in the widest sense. Trees are also incorporated; n o t only Salix, Alnus, Nyssa and some mangrove species, b u t also representatives of genera such as Quercus, Castanea and Magnolia. In f a c t , I wonder what percentage of the total flora of the area is included. Although one m a y quarrel about marginal species which might or might n o t have been included in this work, the advantage of the wide concept is t h a t practically all species of wet and moist areas can be identified. A disadvantage, however, is t h a t the book is unsuitable for field work, and has to stay in the laboratory. I can r e c o m m e n d everyone concerned with aquatic and wetland plants to purchase this work, because its price is extremely m o d e s t for w h a t is offered. C. DEN HARTOG Laboratorium voor A quatische Oecologie Toernooiveid, Nijmegen The Netherlands