Overview

Parasitic flowering plants are strikingly impressive and beautiful and hold many surprises of both general and scientific interest. Parasites also have great influence on the quality of human life when attacking crop plants. Some parasites have since early times appealed to our imagination and have been part of religious or folkloristic events and used as gifts to royalties. This beautifully illustrated book covers all parasitic families and most of the genera. It also discusses the establishment of the parasite, the structure and function of the nutrient absorption organ (haustorium), and how the parasites are pollinated and dispersed as well as their ecology, hosts, and evolution. The book is written in a mostly non-technical language and is provided with a glossary and explanatory boxes. For additional information about this book, including some sample photographs, as well as a list of corrections that have been incorporated in the 2011 reprint, please visit the author's web site. Parasitic Flowering Plants was nominated by The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries for the 2010 Annual Award for a Significant Work in Botanical or Horticular Literature, in the category 'Technical Interest'. More information.

Full Product Details

Author:   Henning Heide-Jorgensen
Publisher:   Brill
Imprint:   Brill
Dimensions:   Width: 21.30cm , Height: 2.80cm , Length: 26.40cm
Weight:   1.674kg
ISBN:  

9789004167506

ISBN 10:   9004167501
Pages:   442
Publication Date:   19 June 2008
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Awaiting stock  
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Table of Contents

Preface by Job Kuijt Author's preface Chapter 1. Introduction. What is a parasitic plant? Chapter 2. Hemiparasitic Santalales Chapter 3. Hemiparasitic families other than Santalales Chapter 4. Holoparasitic families Chapter 5. Establishment of the parasite Chapter 6. Host ranges and various ecological aspects of parasitism Chapter 7. Harmful parasites and control methods Chapter 8. Ecology and evolution Glossary Selected literature List of photographers Index

Reviews

Das vorliegende Buch ist eine reiche Quelle fur ausserst spannende Aspekte aus der Welt der Pflanzen. Es ist nicht nur Botanikern, sondern allen naturwissenschaftlich Interessierten sehr zu empfehlen und sollte in keiner botanischen Bibliothek fehlen. Aufgrund der uppigen Ausstattung mit Farbabbildungen auf fast jeder Seite ist der relative hohe Preis absolut gerechtfertigt. -Hilke Steinecke in Palmengarten 76/1 (2012) Heide-Jorgensen's magnificently vivid Parasitic Flowering Plants [is], indeed, an Inter-National Geographic-style opus on parasitic plants. ... [The book] sets a new high standard for works on the natural history of ecological plant groups. - Rudolph Schmid, Univ. California, in TAXON vol. 59 (4), August 2010, p. 1313 This profusely illustrated book is a worthy successor to Job Kuijt's seminal Parasitic Flowering Plants, published in 1969 and widely acknowledged as the beginning of modern research on parasitic vascular plants. [...] Going through this book is like seeing a favorite black and white movie in color as so much of the work reviewed here was first published in black and white... So much information has been garnered and presented in color for the first time. [...] I... am pleased at the accuracy of the color reproduction. Kudos to the publisher for such wonderful color! [...] It should also be in every college or university library as the most up to date treatment of this most intriguing group of plants. Lytton John Musselman, Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA, in CASTANEA vol. 74 (2009) pp. 89-90. A particular feature of the book, in my opinion, is the large number of excellent photographs, which illustrate and elaborate on the themes being presented. Mark Hyde, 27 January 2009, www.zimbabweflora.co.zw NEW and recommended by APS PRESS! This beautifully illustrated book covers all parasitic families and most of the genera. It also discusses the establishment of the parasite, the structure and function of the nutrient absorption organ (haustorium), and how the parasites are pollinated and dispersed as well as their ecology, hosts, and evolution. The book is written in a mostly non-technical language and is provided with a glossary and explanatory boxes. www.shopapspress.org This is one of those books that you idly pick up, flick through looking at the gorgeous pictures, read snippets of information and before you know it, you've missed the train home. The 400 odd pages cover every familiy of parasitic plant known in the world and most of the genera, organised systematically. Peter Thomas in Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 39.4 (2008) This book finally places parasitic plants in the position they deserve. The book has a phenomenally broad coverage. It literally bursts with information, yet does so in an accessible fashion; the various boxes and the glossary are a real help to the interested amateur. One of the considerable strengths of the book is the emphasis on ecological connections that are explored and illustrated. We learn about insects, birds, and mammals that have significant roles in the lives of parasites. A most important subject is haustorial structure. It is an essential subject - after all, it is the defining part, the essence of parasitism. But here again, the author has produced a remarkably accessible account and he has stradled the line between popular and academic science very successfully. - Job Kuijt, University of Victoria, Canada. I feel that the author's style gives consideration to both professional scientist as well as private plant lovers. - Hans Christian Weber, Philipps Universitat, Marburg, Germany. This beautifully illustrated encyclopedia of parasitic plants gives a fantastic overview of the morphological variety of parasitic plants and describes and illustrates the adaptations that enable plants to be parasitic. The illustrations are magnificent and can only make you admire how nature has created such wonderful creatures almost as if it wants to mask their mal-intentions. In addition to the wonderful illustrations the book reviews important aspects of plant parasitism such as the physiological mechanisms, the ecology and the putative evolution of parasitism in plants. Hence, the book is a rich source of facts and need-to-knows about parasitic plants and therefore will be a valuable handbook for scientists and a fine introduction to parasitism in plants for non-scientists. -Harro J. Bouwmeester, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Author Information

The present book, therefore, fills a great need, and does so with style, and on a worldwide basis. It provides a harmonious account of fascinating information on a general ecological and evolutionary backdrop, and is profusely illustrated with excellent photographs. Dr. Heide-Jorgensen has done an outstanding job in providing a balanced presentation that will be a gem on anyone's bookshelf, whether a professional or an interested naturalist. At long last, the parasitic plants of the world have received the treatment they so richly deserve. -Job Kuijt, University of Victoria, Canada. [T]his book finally places parasitic plants in the position they deserve... It has a phenomenally broad coverage...It literally bursts with information, yet does so in an accessible fashion; the various boxes and the glossary are a real help to the interested amateur...One of the considerable strengths of the book is the emphasis on ecological connections that are explored and illustrated...[The Author] has produced a remarkably accessible account. - Job Kuijt, University of Victoria, Canada. I feel that the author's style gives consideration to both professional scientist as well as private plant lovers. - Hans Christian Weber, Philipps Universitat, Marburg, Germany. This beautifully illustrated encyclopedia of parasitic plants gives a fantastic overview of the morphological variety of parasitic plants and describes and illustrates the adaptations that enable plants to be parasitic. The illustrations are magnificent and can only make you admire how nature has created such wonderful creatures almost as if it wants to mask their mal-intentions. In addition to the wonderful illustrations the book reviews important aspects of plant parasitism such as the physiological mechanisms, the ecology and the putative evolution of parasitism in plants. Hence, the book is a rich source of facts and need-to-knows about parasitic plants and therefore will be a valuable handbook for scientists and a fine introduction to parasitism in plants for non-scientists. -Harro J. Bouwmeester, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.

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