United States
£ GBP
Language: English
This long-awaited monograph deals with the fascinating group of plants known as geraniums or cranesbills. It is restricted to the plants covered by the scientific name Geranium, but does not include those plants known in English as "geranium" which botanists have transferred to the genus Pelargonium. The book is the result of 28 years of research by the author. It is lavishly illustrated with maps, line drawings and photographs.
There is a gap in the available botanical literature covering the geraniums. The last monographic treatment by Reinhard Knuth appeared in 1912. In the intervening years, much taxonomic information has been accumulated, rendering this massive and comprehensive work out of date. There have been many new species discoveries and much research has been conducted for revisional works. All these changes have caused much confusion to the outsider, making the need for a comprehensive monograph even more pressing.
For each of the 307 species covered in this book, complete synonymy and detailed description is given, as well as its distribution, relationships, variability and taxonomic history are discussed. Each species is provided with a map showing its known distribution based on specimens examined by the author and is illustrated with line drawings and, if available, with colour photographs based on reliable specimens. Some introductory sections explain in detail the morphological structure of these plants, chromosome numbers, breeding system, phytochemistry, distribution, habitats and relationships. For practical reasons and to facilitate the identification of the species, four identification keys have been prepared that cover respectively North and Central America, South America, the Pacific area and the Old World species. This book will be of value to botanists, but also to specialists hobbyists and to anyone fascinated by these plants.
- Introduction
- Historical overview
- Material and methods
- Morphology
- Chromosome numbers
- Breeding system
- Phytochemistry
- Distribution and habitats
- Relationship based on DNA markers and classification
- Conspectus of classification
- Taxonomy
- Miscellaneous doubtful and not validly published names
- Hybrids
Acknowledgments
Literature cited
Appendix 1. Chromosome counts of geranium
Appendix 2. Names of geranium belonging to other genera
Index to numbered collections examined
Index to scientific names
Index to new names and combinations
Carlos Aedo Pérez (1960- ) is a Spanish botanist, who has developed his main scientific activity at the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, CSIC, Spain. He graduated in Biology at the University of Oviedo, earning his doctorate at the University of Salamanca in 1994. From 1985 to 1991 he was an independent consultant. In 1992 he started working at the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, first as a contracted member of the "Flora Ibérica Project", and since 1998 as a scientific researcher. He is a specialist in the taxonomy of vascular plants from Europe and the Mediterranean: Maloideae (Sorbus, Pyrus, Crataegus) and Geraniaceae (Geranium, Erodium). Lately he has been interested in the paleotropical flora of Equatorial Guinea.
