Volume 1 of the New Zealand Liverwort Flora Series Now Available - Discount Available
The last comprehensive treatment of New Zealand Liverworts and Hornworts was published in 1864. Now 144 years later Volume 1 of an intended three volume treatment of these diminutive yet ecologically important (and beautiful) plants has just been published by the Missouri Botanical Garden Press. It is authored by John Engel of Field Museum, Chicago, and David Glenny of Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand. The Flora is an illustrated guide to an important component of New Zealand’s green plant flora. The volume provides keys and descriptions to 211 of the 595 liverwort species, along with detailed notes on the distribution and habitat of each of the species. Discussions under the family and genus place the New Zealand flora in the context of the world liverwort and hornwort flora. To complement the descriptions, black and white plates illustrate details of many of the species. Color photographs of many of the genera are also included. A remarkable 50% of the liverwort Flora is endemic to New Zealand, i.e., found only within that country. Strong biogeographic links exist with Australia, and, at the genus level, with southern South American and the Pacific. New Zealand’s liverwort flora has a significant archaic element and a large element that is interpreted as Gondwanic in origin. Volume 1 includes a detailed Introduction, which presents a history of exploration of the New Zealand flora and provides a detailed overview of the region’s climate, geology and vegetation. When this three-volume flora is completed it will be the first flora of these two groups of bryophytes since 1864.The volume may be ordered from Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Network members receive a 10% discount on orders: P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, Missouri, 63166-0299. Fax: 314-577-9594.
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Posted: 17/08/2008