This is the first of two volumes on Gentianaceae. Comprising twelve chapters, it centres upon the characterization and ecology of Gentianaceae worldwide, with emphasis on the application of molecular and cytological approaches in relation to taxonomy. The first three chapters consider the classification of the family and review the advances in research since the earlier revision published in 2002, which resulted in the reclassification of some plants and the naming of new genera. The next chapter provides the most comprehensive report to date of the systematics of South American Neotropical woody Gentians. Other reviews include details of the Gentianaceae in Eastern Europe. The key biochemical steps that result in the diversity of Gentian flower colors, the cytology of European species and an historical account of the importance of Gentians in herbal medicines are also covered. Furthermore, an analysis of gene expression in overwintering buds is presented, discussing several aspects of plant taxonomy, phenotypic characteristics, phylogeography and pedigree. Two contributions highlight the importance of Gentians in India, and the last chapter presents evidence for the importance of Glomeromycota in developing arbuscular mycorrhizal associations with the roots of Gentians. This volume provides the basis for the biotechnological approaches that are considered in the companion book The Gentianaceae – Volume 2: Biotechnology and Applications.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies, like the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, and the International Society for Ethnobiology currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries. This new MRW on Ethnobotany of the Himalayas takes advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. It includes the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants in the Himalayas. Each contribution is scientifically rigorous and contributes to the overall field of study.

High-value crops are non-staple plants that give much higher return per unit area than staple crops. Diversification and investing towards high-value crops can potentially increase farm incomes, making them more attractive to new and small-scale agricultural farmers. This new volume explores the biotechnological applications for the unique high-value crops in response to the impending high-value agriculture revolution. The book discusses traditional knowledge, nutritional value, phytochemical activity, value addition quality, and postharvest management of some select unique high-value crops, including black ginger, bastard oleaster, Swertia chirayita, Garcinia, Parkia timoriana (or tree bean), king chili, Chenopodium (or goosefoot), sea buckthorn, broom grass, lichens, and others. High-Value Plants: Novel Insights and Biotechnological Advances provides important information for small-scale farmers and agricultural and horticultural professionals to consider diversifying into non-traditional, high-value, agricultural crops, an important area of potential income growth in rural areas.

This book highlights different natural products that are derived from the plants and microbes that have shown potential as the lead compounds against infectious diseases and cancer. Natural products represent an untapped source of strikingly diverse chemotypes with novel mechanisms of action and the potential to serve as anticancer and anti-infective agents. The book discusses a range of biotechnologically valuable bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites that have been derived from plant and microorganisms from various ecological niches. It also reviews the latest developments in the field of genomics, bioinformatics and industrial fermentation for harnessing the microbial products for commercial applications. In turn, the book’s closing section reviews important biotechnological applications of various natural products. Combining the expertise of specialists in this field, the book’s goal is to promote the further investigation of natural sources for the development of standardized, safe and effective therapies.

本书是研究龙胆科最大的属—龙胆属的一部世界性专著。全书共分九部分,全面系统地总结了该属的分类学、形态学、胚胎学、花解剖学、细胞学、孢粉学和植物地理学的研究结果。以命名模式和鉴定国内外各大标本馆的大量标本为依据,订正了该属的全部种类。应用分支系统学和进化分类学的观点和方法,论证了类群间的亲缘关系和演化序列,确立了龙胆属的自然的属下分类系统。