United States
£ GBP
The biology of grasses is described and illustrated through the use of many different grass genera and species, drawn from temperate, tropical and circumpolar regions. Beginning with a discussion of the role of grasses in a changing world, the author provides a thorough treatment of such topics as the generation and dispersal of grasses, their diversity, history, contrasting life styles, ecology and domestication.
1. Grasses in a Changing World
2. Grass Diversity
3. The Assumption of Form
4. Panicles, Spikelets and Florets
5. Generation and dispersal
6. Taxonomy
7. From extinct to present day grasses
8. Photosynthesis
9. Contrasted life-styles
10. Grass ecology and disturbance
11. Domestication
12. Maize
13. Critical Glossary
14. References
15. Taxonomic Index
16. Subject Index
"The style is discursive, full of intriguing observations and miscellaneous facts. . . . This makes the book good fun for one familiar with grasses."--The Quarterly Review of Biology
"There's much here for the economic botanist, including grass domestication...and an extensive review of theories of maize origin....There's an excellent glossary in this book, with those terms peculiar to bamboos given in sans serif type. Read the glossary first, then the book. And enjoy." --Economic Botany
"As a botanist who simply wanted to know more about grasses, I enjoyed this book immensely. . . .It introduces students to the diversity, value and wonder of grasses, and provides an introduction into how traits other than conventional morphologic and molecular data, such as ecological function, geographic distribution and physiology, can be useful in phylogenetic reconstruction."--Plant Science Bulletin
