Orchid biology : reviews and perspectives, VIII

Note Not long after publication of Orchid Biology, Reviews and Perspectives (OB) volume VII, my co-editor, Dr. Alec M. Pridgeon informed me that the pressure of other duties, especially the editing of Genera Orchidacearum (GO) will make it impossible for him to continue as co-editor and eventually editor ofthe series. Alec is an excellent orchid scientist and editor. I was sorry to that he had to leave OB, but glad that GO will be in his able hands. The first volume of GO attests to his considerable abilities and I wish him much success in the future. Editors of orchid publications are not the most common of species (to use a botanical analogy) and finding a replacement for Alec was not easy. However I was fortunate that Dr. Tiiu Kull agreed to become my co-editor and eventually take over the series. As is obvious from the Contributors section Dr. Kull has extensive experience as both writer and editor. My interactions with her while editing this volume have convinced me she is an excellent choice. Scientifically she brings to OB an appreciation and understanding of northern terrestrial orchids, a group, which has not received as much attention as it deserves. Another addition to OB is Dr. Tim Wing Yam who agreed to become an associate editor. Tim, who holds a position at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, will provide expertise on seed germination, hybridization, tissue culture, species and conservation. This is the eighth volume in a 25 year old series which has become the cornerstone review publication of orchid science. It presents authoritative reviews on different areas of orchid science and historical accounts by major orchid authorities. It includes biographies of two pioneering seventeenth century orchid scientists one in Europe and the other one in Indonesia, a review of orchid flower ontogeny, a discussion of orchid population dynamics, a survey of orchid seed and seedling development, an account of temperate orchid species, a description of mature orchid embryos, an history of studies of orchid seed germination and an enumeration of viruses which attack orchids. The volume is intended to provide information for botanists in general as well as orchid scientists and growers This is the eighth volume in a 25-year-old series that has become the cornerstone review publication of orchid science. It presents authoritative reviews on different areas of orchid science and historical accounts by major orchid authorities, providing information for botanists, orchid scientists, and growers. Front Matter....Pages i-xix History-Biography....Pages 1-81 Morphology....Pages 83-138 Ecology....Pages 139-165 Development....Pages 167-234 Genera....Pages 235-286 Embryology-Seeds....Pages 287-385 History-Seeds....Pages 387-504 Back Matter....Pages 505-584