This handbook, consisting of six volumes, covers over 9000 taxa of succulents (excluding cacti), which have the ability to store water in their stems, leaves, or underground organs. In addition to the volumes on Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, separate volumes are devoted to those families with predominantly succulent members, which show an especially great diversity, namely Aizoaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Crassulaceae. Following an alphabetical listing of families, genera and species, detailed descriptions are given, including the taxonomy with synonyms, data on the distribution and ecology, references, and keys to genera, species or subspecies. Over 2000 superb colour photographs complete this inventory of succulent plants.

The present volume covering the Crassulaceae marks the completion of the successful handbook series that presents a complete coverage of the so-called "other" succulents, i.e. of all taxa of suc culent plants with the exception of the Cactaceae. It is with pride that this volume is now put before the public. Together with its predecessors, it is the fruit of a truly international project. Not only does the present volume constitute the first complete synopsis of the large and horticulturally important family Crassulaceae published since the treatment by Berger (1930), but the handbook series as a whole is a landmark in succulent plant literature. The history of the project that eventually led to the publication of the present handbook series was outlined in the Preface to the Monocotyledons Volume, published in the summer of 2001. A short summary of its history will therefore suffice. Handbooks devoted to succulent plants (including cacti) have a long-standing tradition. First treatments covering the family Cactaceae were already published in the 19th century, but the first handbook dealing with the so-called "other succulents", authored by Hermann Jacobsen, was only published in 1954 - 1955, then called "Handbuch der sukkulenten Pflanzen". A revised and en larged English edition was published in 1959 and was repeatedly reprinted subsequently.

The Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants represents the first comprehensive taxonomic treatment of succulents in thirty years. It covers over 9000 taxa of all succulents except Cactaceae. This volume on the Asclepiadaceae (milkweed family) presents all kinds of succulent plants from geophytic Raphionacme, leaf succulent Hoya to stem succulent Cynanchum and, of course, the popular stapeliads (carrion flowers). A total of 1119 species are included; of the 70 genera treated, 49 are covered in their entirety. The most species-rich assemblages are Ceropegia (lantern flowers) and Brachystelma. For the latter a complete generic treatment is presented for the first time. The handbook is devoted to a family famous for their outstandingly complex and beautiful flowers and is illustrated with 332 superb colour photos. Keys to genera are provided; for all accepted taxa, descriptions including typification and distributional data, full synonymy and literature references are given.

This handbook, consisting of six volumes, covers over 9000 taxa of succulents (excluding cacti), which have the ability to store water in their stems, leaves, or underground organs. In addition to the volumes on Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, separate volumes are devoted to those families with predominantly succulent members, which show an especially great diversity, namely Aizoaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Crassulaceae. Following an alphabetical listing of families, genera and species, detailed descriptions are given, including the taxonomy with synonyms, data on the distribution and ecology, references, and keys to genera, species or subspecies. Over 2000 superb colour photographs complete this inventory of succulent plants.

This handbook, consisting of six volumes, covers over 9000 taxa of succulents (excluding cacti), which have the ability to store water in their stems, leaves, or underground organs. In addition to the volumes on Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, separate volumes are devoted to those families with predominantly succulent members, which show an especially great diversity, namely Aizoaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Crassulaceae. Following an alphabetical listing of families, genera and species, detailed descriptions are given, including the taxonomy with synonyms, data on the distribution and ecology, references, and keys to genera, species or subspecies. Over 2000 superb colour photographs complete this inventory of succulent plants.

This plant book aims to help identify flowering plants to genus and family level anywhere in the world. In 2014 there were very few available works which were both comprehensive and up-to-date for all the flowering plants families and genera of the world. The Flowering Plants Handbook is an easy to use identification guide to the worlds flowering plants designed for both specialists and non-specialists and from beginner to expert. The book contains descriptions of all currently recognised flowering plant families, morphological notes for 6656 genera (all current genera for 398/413 families) and over 3000 images and illustrations. Flowering plants can be identified using the book to family and much of the world's generic diversity in four 'easy' steps. Some plants will be identified correctly quickly, whilst others may require some retracing of steps and take a little more time. The advantage of this book is that it helps the user learn about the classification system and plant diversity during the identification process. This work was compiled and developed using the living, library and herbarium collections at the University of Aberdeen, Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.