Highlights the key role played by taxonomy in the conservation and sustainable utilisation of plant biodiversity.

The depletion of biodiversity is an alarming problem all over the country. The world conservation strategy suggests that the initial effort of biodiversity conservation should aim at establishment and maintenance of a network of protected area systems by making policy changes involving local people in the protected areas management and mobilising financial resources for their conservation and protection. The problem of biodiversity conservation has become a global issue. It is being realised that forests existing in a country is not a resource just for that country, but for the whole of the world. The Amazoian Rain Forests have been called the Lungs of the World as they serve to purity of the global atmosphere by release of oxygen and absorption of Pollutants. The rate of deforestation is several times higher in the developing countries than the developed countries, as the forests are being felled to generate funds and space for development. The total number of species in the world is estimated to be around 5 to 30 million but of which about 1.4 millions species have been described. The total number of plant species in India is estimated to be about 45,000 (15,000 flowering plants, 64 gymnosperms, 2843 bryopthes, 1042 pteriodophytes, 1940 lichans and 23,000 fungi). Nearly 4900 of those species are endemic to India out of which 1500 are highly threatened (MOEF, 1994). Contents Chapter 1: Plant biodiversity; Chapter 2: Phyto sociological region of india; Chapter 3: Phyto sociological region of the trans-himalaya; Chapter 4: Phyto sociological region of the west himalaya; Chapter 5: Phyto sociological region of the eastern himalaya; Chapter 6: Phyto sociological region of north-east india; Chapter 7: Phyto sociological region of the indian desert; Chapter 8: Phto sociological region of the semi-aridzone; Chapter 9: Phyto sociological region of the gangetic plains; Chapter 10: Phyto sociological region of the western ghats; Chapter 11: Phyto sociological region of the deccan peninsula; Chapter 12: Phyto sociological region of the indian coasts; Chapter 13: Phyto sociological regions of andaman and nicobar islands; Chapter 14: Phyto sociological region of the lakshadeep islands; Chapter 15: Aquatic and wetland vegetation; Chapter 16: Weed and aliens; Chapter 17: Taxonomy: A view; Chapter 18: Angiosperms; Chapter 19: Gymnosperms; Chapter 20: Pteriodophytes; Chapter 21: Bryophytes; Chapter 22: Algae; Chapter 23: Ecology and distribution of the marine forms; Chapter 24: Fungi; Chapter 25: Lichens; Chapter 26: Botanical regions of india and their floristic compositions; Chapter 27: Some alien flowering plants.

The field of plant taxonomy has transformed rapidly over the past fifteen years, especially with regard to improvements in cladistic analysis and the use of new molecular data. The second edition of this popular resource reflects these far-reaching and dramatic developments with more than 3,000 new references and many new figures. Synthesizing current research and trends, Plant Taxonomy now provides the most up-to-date overview in relation to monographic, biodiversity, and evolutionary studies, and continues to be an essential resource for students and scholars. This text is divided into two parts: Part 1 explains the principles of taxonomy, including the importance of systematics, characters, concepts of categories, and different approaches to biological classification. Part 2 outlines the different types of data used in plant taxonomic studies with suggestions on their efficacy and modes of presentation and evaluation. This section also lists the equipment and financial resources required for gathering each type of data. References throughout the book illuminate the historical development of taxonomic terminology and philosophy while citations offer further study. Plant Taxonomy is also a personal story of what it means to be a practicing taxonomist and to view these activities within a meaningful conceptual framework. Tod F. Stuessy recalls the progression of his own work and shares his belief that the most creative taxonomy is done by those who have a strong conceptual grasp of their own research.

Prithipalsingh, Indian taxonomist; contributed articles.

A concise, up-to-date and fully-integrated discussion of present-day plant taxonomy.

The basic aim of this manual is to provide useful resource materials for training young students and faculties working in the area of plant systematics. The manual provides updated information on basic as well as applied aspects of plant systematics on various groups of plants like Algae, Lichens, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. 1 to 3 describe the various approaches and methods to study microbial and fungal diversity, which is basically a very useful precursor to the students and young researchers. 4 and 5 provide deals with the multi-dimensional approaches in Lichen systematics. The book progresses upwards through the plethora of information on the diversity and systematics of Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms ( 6-10). 11 to 15 contain on the plant methodological details identification, approaches and methods of Flora, revision, monograph and development of herbarium. This information is very important for the students and young faculties who intend to pursue their researches in plant taxonomy. 14 and 15 particularly provide all the relevant information on the International Code of Plant nomenclature including cultivated plants. These s per se are very significant for the amateur as well as serious readers of plant taxonomy. Plant taxonomy and biosystematics is a dynamic subject, as it derives information from various other disciplines like palynology, seed morphology, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, etc. We have, therefore, broaden the scope of this book by including the s on palynology, seed morphology, molecular systematics, biostatistics, ecological and remote sensing methods for diversity analyses, and pharmacognostical tools for identification of herbal drugs ( 16-22). The knowledge and information on these applied aspects of biology in relation to taxonomy will certainly infuse the interest in readers, who are pursuing plant taxonomy as their scientific pursuits. 23 and 24 describe the various methods of characterization and evaluation of ornamental and medicinal plants. The last (25) of the book provides the information about CSIR-NBRI Botanic Garden and its various repositories, which could be of great interest to the readers from the perspectives of plant conservation.

Faced with widespread and devastating loss of biodiversity in wild habitats, scientists have developed innovative strategies for studying and protecting targeted plant and animal species in "off-site" facilities such as botanic gardens and zoos. Such ex situ work is an increasingly important component of conservation and restoration efforts. Ex Situ Plant Conservation, edited by Edward O. Guerrant Jr., Kayri Havens, and Mike Maunder, is the first book to address integrated plant conservation strategies and to examine the scientific, technical, and strategic bases of the ex situ approach. The book examines where and how ex situ investment can best support in situ conservation. Ex Situ Plant Conservation outlines the role, value, and limits of ex situ conservation as well as updating best management practices for the field, and is an invaluable resource for plant conservation practitioners at botanic gardens, zoos, and other conservation organizations; students and faculty in conservation biology and related fields; managers of protected areas and other public and private lands; and policymakers and members of the international community concerned with species conservation.