Trees of Panama and Costa Rica

About this book

This is the first field guide dedicated to the diverse tree species of Panama and Costa Rica. Featuring close to 500 tropical tree species, "Trees of Panama and Costa Rica" includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike. The invaluable introductory chapters discuss tree diversity in Central America and the basics of tree identification.

Family and species accounts are treated alphabetically and describe family size, number of genera and species, floral characteristics, and relative abundance. Color distribution maps supplement the useful species descriptions, and facing-page photographic plates detail bark, leaf, flower, or fruit of the species featured. Helpful appendices contain a full glossary, a comprehensive guide to leaf forms, and a list of families not covered. The only tree guide to cover both Panama and Costa Rica together. This title covers almost 500 species; 438 high-resolution color photos; 480 color distribution maps; and, two general maps. It includes concise and jargon-free descriptions of key characteristics for every species. Full glossary and guide to leaf forms are included.

Contents

Foreword 7 Part I. Introduction Chapter 1. Forests of Panama and Costa Rica 11 Chapter 2. Tree Identification 17 Chapter 3. Species and Areas Covered 23 Part II. Species Treatments by Family Acanthaceae 26 Achariaceae 28 Adoxaceae 30 Anacardiaceae 30 Annonaceae 38 Apocynaceae 62 Araliaceae 76 Arecaceae 78 Asteraceae 86 Betulaceae 86 Bignoniaceae 88 Bixaceae 94 Boraginaceae 96 Burseraceae 106 Cannabaceae 112 Capparaceae 114 Caricaceae 118 Celastraceae 120 Chloranthaceae 120 Chrysobalanaceae 124 Clethraceae 132 Clusiaceae 132 Cochlospermaceae 144 Combretaceae 144 Cornaceae 150 Cyrillaceae 152 Dilleniaceae 152 Ebenaceae 154 Elaeocarpaceae 154 Erythropalaceae 156 Erythroxylaceae 158 Euphorbiaceae 160 Fabaceae 176 Fabaceae--Caesalpinioideae 176 Fabaceae--Mimosoideae 186 Fabaceae--Papilionoideae 214 Fagaceae 238 Hernandiaceae 238 Humiriaceae 240 Hypericaceae 242 Icacinaceae 246 Lacistemataceae 246 Lamiaceae 248 Lauraceae 252 Lecythidaceae 262 Lepidobotryaceae 266 Lythraceae 268 Magnoliaceae 268 Malpighiaceae 270 Malvaceae 272 Malvaceae--Bombacoideae 274 Malvaceae--Byttnerioideae 282 Malvaceae--Grewioideae 286 Malvaceae--Malvoideae 292 Malvaceae--Sterculioideae 294 Malvaceae--Tilioideae 296 Melastomataceae 296 Meliaceae 310 Moraceae 322 Muntingiaceae 334 Myricaceae 336 Myristicaceae 336 Myrsinaceae 344 Myrtaceae 350 Nyctaginaceae 358 Ochnaceae 360 Papaveraceae 362 Pellicieraceae 362 Phyllanthaceae 362 Piperaceae 366 Podocarpaceae 368 Polygonaceae 368 Proteaceae 372 Putranjivaceae 374 Rhamnaceae 374 Rhizophoraceae 378 Rubiaceae 380 Rutaceae 410 Salicaceae 414 Sapindaceae 426 Sapotaceae 434 Scrophulariaceae 446 Simaroubaceae 448 Siparunaceae 450 Staphyleaceae 450 Ternstroemiaceae 452 Thymelaeaceae 452 Ulmaceae 454 Urticaceae 454 Verbenaceae 460 Violaceae 460 Vochysiaceae 462 Part III. Supporting Material Appendix 1. Terminology 467 Appendix 2. Major Leaf Traits of Tree Families Known in Panama and Costa Rica 469 Appendix 3. Families Not Included 475 Literature Cited 479 Index 481

Customer Reviews

Biography

Richard Condit is a staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Rolando Perez is chief botanist and Nefertaris Daguerre is a forest specialist with the Center for Tropical Forest Science at the STRI.