The long-awaited fourth edition of a classic text, now fully revised and updated for the molecular era.

Vistas in Botany, Volume 4: Recent Researchers in Plant Taxonomy covers some of the more important general aspects of plant taxonomy. This volume is composed of seven chapters that link the practice and theory of taxonomy to plant geography, ecology, pollen anatomy, embryology, genetics, and cytology. The opening chapter outlines the views on plant taxonomy classification, the relevance of these views to biological classification, and some of the problems of classification in the non-taxonomic fields of ecology, soil science, and librarianship. The succeeding chapter presents the classification of the spores in higher plants, the cormophytes. This topic is followed by discussions on the embryological characters of taxonomic significance and the interrelations of plant taxonomy, phytogeography, and plant ecology. The final chapters consider the taxonomic preparation of flora and plant fossils. This book will prove useful to taxonomists, botanists, ecologists, and scientists and researchers in the allied fields of botany.

In vitro Embryogenesis in Plants is the first book devoted exclusively to this topic. As the ultimate demonstration of totipotency in plants, somatic and haploid embryogenesis is of vital importance to all those working on or interested in basic and applied aspects of plantlet information and regeneration. The text includes comprehensive reviews written by experts, on all facts of in vitro and in vivo embryogenesis. Some chapters deal with the morphogenic, structural and developmental, physiological and biochemical, and molecular biological aspects of the subject. Chapters are also devoted to haploid embryogenesis, asexual embryogenesis in nature, zygotic embryogenesis, and zygotic embryo culture. Detailed tables summarizing successful somatic embryogenesis in all vascular plants are also included. This book, therefore, brings together previously scattered information to provide an indispensable reference book for both active researchers, graduate students and anyone interested in this aspect of tissue culture technology and plant development.

Apomixis in Plants presents a comprehensive review of different aspects of asexual seed formation in plants. This is important in plant research since apomixis could greatly facilitate breeding in important crops. It is also interesting theoretically because it carries problems related to genetic variation and evolution to its extreme. The book features a broad selection of topics, including a historical review of ideas and landmarks in the field; comparisons with other types of asexual reproduction in higher plants and with related phenomena in animals and related plants; a presentation of cytology and embryology of apomicts and the diversified terminology in the field; views on the genetic background of apomixis and environmental effects on its expression; and the interrelation between apomixis and other traits. Additional topics covered include classical and modern theories of sexual versus asexual reproduction; geographical and taxonomical trends in apomicts; ecological implications of apomixis, and a review of future possibilities for using apomixis in plant breeding. Apomixis in Plants is an important reference volume for researchers and students in all areas of botany, ecology, and plant breeding.