Bookreviews

G. ]4. WALLER [ed.] ALLELOCHEMICALS:

ROLE

IN AGRICULTURE

AND FORESTRY

ACS Symposium ~ r i c s 330. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 1987, 606 pages. Pmco 113.95 US $. W i t h i n t h e s h o r t period of two years the second extensive volume in ACS Symposium Series has already appeared, devoted to allelopathy and alleloehemicals, i.e. the chemical and biochemical principles of the interaction of plants with other ecologically i m p o r t a n t organisms. The preceeding volume of the ACS Symposium Series 268, reviewed in Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 22, 104 (1987), was devoted mainly to interactions between plants. This volume has a m u c h broader scope. I t contains papers dealing w i t h the relationships: plant-plant, plant-soil-plant, plant-insect, plant-microorganism and plant-animal. It also cont a i n s 15 chapters with surveys concerning the investigation of allolopathy in various parts of the world (Japan, USSR, U.K., India, Mexico, Taiwan, Australia) and in various ecosystems (desert, ficlds, forests, water, soil). In the introductory chapters allelopathy in plant pathology and in natural and manipulated ecosystems is dealt with. The chemical nature of allelopathic compounds and the development of further directions in chemical ecology are also discussed. Allelopathic interactions are complex and therefore in the introductory part a call is p u t out to all branches which take part and necessarily collaborate in this research. Tbis is addresed to agriculturists and foresters, plant physiologists and ecologists, microbiologists and pestologists and also to the chemists of natural products, who are moving the s t u d y of allelopathy to a molecular level. They try to explain the principles and mechanisms of allelopathy and also prepare condition for transfeting the natural models of allelopathy into practical use. Potentially t h e y use these models for proposing synthesis of new ecologically nonhazardous pesticides. The volume is composed of 51 chapters corresponding to the main contributions a t a symposium sponsored b y the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry at, the 190th Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago, Illinois, September 1985. Individual chapters deal with various aspects of allelopathy, such as e.g. the role of phyla)chemistry in a t t a c k i n g the problems, transformation of allelochomicals by plants into conjugates, spocifity of the action of allelechemicals, interferene~ between crops and weeds, modern experimental techniques (application of micro liquid c h r o m a t o g r a p h y - - m a s s spectrometry combination), use of natural plant compounds in insect control, resistance and aubotoxicity problems, potential industrial application and their problems, structural and genetic variation of natural pesticides, chemical ecology of terpenoids, phenolics, a l k a l o i d s a n d o t h e r s e c o n d a r y p l a n t m e t a b o l i t e s etc. are discussed. The book c o n t a i n s author and subject indexes, has numerous figures, tables and diagrams, and the printing is very good, as it is usual in the ACS Symposium Series. The extent and the value of the information provided are high and the book will certainly be us2ful to students as well as to specialists in the field, particularly because our experts have very limited possibilities of taking part personally in international symposia abroad, and almost none in the USA and other d i s t a n t countries. The books of the ACS Symposium Series thus permit our research workers to follow progress in the given area. The time interval between the symposium and the publication of the book is usually not longer t h a n one or one and a half year. We only wish t h a t the staffs of our competent research centres could have the possibility of purchasing these books within such a short period. JURAJ I~ARMATHA

110

FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ET PHYTOTAXONO~IICA 24. 1989

S. L. J~RY, T. REYNOLDS, D. F. CUTLER et F. J. E v e s THE

[eds.]

EUPHORBIALES

Chemistry, taxonomy and economic botany Linnean Society of London, Academic Press London, 326 pp., 165 Figs., 48 Tabs., 1987, Price 25,-- $. The book presents the proceedings of the Symposium organized by the Linnean Society, London, o n t h e occasion of the b i c e n t e n a r y of the Society. The papers were already published i n Bot. Journ. Li~n. Soc. 94 (1--2}, 1987. A series of 17 papers (by 29 scientists) covers chiefly the fields of t a x o n o m y and chemistry of the order Euphorbiales. I t is n o t possible to m e n t i o n all t h e papers in this limited space; only t h e following interesting taxonomic contributions are listed: A. RADCLIFFE-SMITH: Segregate families from the Euphorbiaceae; A. M. W. ~ a A : Wood a n a t o m y of the Euphorbiaceae, in particular of the subfamily Phyllanthoideae; W. PUNT: A survey of pollen morphology in Euphorbiaceae w i t h special reference to Fhyllanthus; P. J. RUD~-tJ~: Laticifcrs in Euphorbiaceae--a conspectus; R. E. SCHULTES: Members of the Euphorbiaceae in primitive and advanced societies. Studies in the biosynthesis of diterpenoids~ and chemical constituents of the egonomically i m p o r t a n t Euphorbiaceae are a m o n g the m a i n chemical contributions. A very comprehensive paper (supplemented with a large reference list} is devoted to t a x o n o m i c questions a t t h e family r a n k w i t h i n EuphorbCales. This is " T h e saga of the spurges: a review o f classification and relationships in the Eupharbiales" b y G. L. WEBSTER of Davis, California. Tribal genealogies are illustrated and discussed, and phylograms outlined on the basis of serological studies. I n the CRO~rQ~ST (1981} classification of Magnoliophytes, the position occupied b y Euphorbiales is r a t h e r controversial; according to phylogenetical affinities it occupies a n intermediate position between t h e subclasses of 1)illeniidae and Rosidae. TAKHTAJAN (1987} includes E~qghorbiales in the Dilleniidae, superorder Euphorbianae, where the Euphorbiales show the closest relationships to Thylr~laeales, and include four families. B o t h authors m a i n t a i n the relatedness of ancestral forms of Euphorbiales to the Malvales and Violales, which becomes more evident when the syncarpous gynoeceum is accel=ted as derived from the more primitive paracarpous one. The complexity within Eup~orbiales has challenged botanists since A. de J u s s ~ u published his system, a n d opinions have changed m a n y times during almost 150 years. The WEBSTER system, based on data derived from wood anatomy, cytology, chemistry, together w i t h morphological a n d anatomical characters, seems to represent the family structure very well, with its units, subfamilies and tribes built on the comparative basis. I t is evident t h a t floral characters and their ontogenesis are decisive in Euphorbiales t h a t posses very diverse general habits (e.g. reduction in androeceum, secondary splitting of stamens, evolution of inflorescence etc. should be considered). The second condition for success in answering taxonomic questions in Euphorbiales is the broad scope of the study, covering m a i n l y ample series of the Palaetropical members of the family (the most i m p o r t a n t generic and specific diversity is centred in Palaeotropis). Studies of the economically i m p o r t a n t properties of some tropical representatives of t h e family are n o t less i m p o r t a n t in the book u n d e r review. I n most instances, as demonstrated i n m a n y e t h n o b o t a n i c a l studies, euphorbiaceous plants have been employed since prehistoric times. Now, these plants are the subject of more detailed all-round ~nvestigations which not only provide new evidence b u t also change t r a d i t i o n a l erroneous ideas or empirical observations repeated for centuries i n various works. Among t h e most i m p o r t a n t tropical and subtropical members of the family, we can mention Croton (about 750 species}, Ja~ropha (175), Manihot (171) and Hevea (ca 10 species)--all these genera are being investigated in p h y t o c h e m i s t r y and in pharmacology. The book u n d e r review clearly shows t h a t parallel studies of m a n y specialists can be successfully and valuably arranged in a volume comprising complementary results. BOHDAN KI~fSA

BOOKREVIEWS J.

111

IK2~ F T

FALSTERBOHALVONS

FLORA

V ~ x t e r n a vid kustel) m e l l a n M a l m 5 och Trelleborg L m a d s B o t a n i s k a F S r e n i n ~ , u n d e r r e d a c t i o n of S v c n s k B o t a n i s k T i d s k i r f t , Lurid 1987, 152 p. T h i s detailed a c c o u n t o f th~ flora o f t h e c o a s t a l a r e a (some 100 s q u a r e kin) s o u t h o f M a l t a 5 (SW Skfine, Sweden) k e e p s to t h e h i g h s t a n d a r d o f S w e d i s h floristms. W i t h o u t a n y d o u b t , t h e s o u t h e r n p a r t o f S w e d e n r a n k s a m o n g t h e m o s t p r o f o u n d l y b o t a n i c a l l y e x p l o r e d territories in E u r o p e . T h u s , it is n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t as m a n y as 1160 t a x a were f o u n d i n t h e region s t u d i e d . N o t o n l y r a t i v e species were recorded; m a n y e s c a p e s a n d aliens (a~d also relics o f c u l t i v a t i o n ) are also given. M a n y h y b r i d s a n d t a x o n o m i c a l l y critical t a x a h a v e also b e e n s t u d i e d a n d listed. Correct e v a l u a t i o n o f tb~ field results, a n d r e - c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e l i t e r a t u r e d a t a , r e q u i r e d a skilled field b o t a n i s t - - a n d t h e w a y o f p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e d a t a clearly s n o w s t h a t t h i s w a s t h e case. T h e r e are o n l y a f~w m i s t a k e s t h a t s h o u l d be m e n t i o n e d : Aphanes miorocarpa does n o t o c c u r i n Sweden. T h e s p e c i e s f o u n d n e a r St. H a m m a r s h o u l d b e a r t h e n a m e Aphanes inexspectata LIPPERT 1984. Atriplex ccdotheca (as A. prostrata sub~p, ccdotheca in t h e list) is a later s y n o n y m o f A. hasto2a L. s. orig. I f t h i s is believed to be eonspeeific w i t h A. prostrata (which is a n o p i n i o n it is n o t a d v i s a b l e to accept) t h e y s h o u l d be u n i t e d u n d e r t h e older n a m e , A. hastata L. L a s t , I c a n n o t agree to r e p o r t a s t o l o n i f e r o u s c o a s t a l Vcderiana o f t h e V. o]ficinalis agg. as Va/er/ana

sambuci]olia. A d e q u a t e s p a c e is d e v o t e d t e g e n e r a l a s p e c t s o f t h e flora u n d e r s t u d y . T h e a u t h o r briefly describes t h e m o s t c o m m o n c o m m u n i t i e s o f t h e a r e a explored, a n d c h a r a c t e r i z e s s o m e o f t h e m o s t v a l u a b l e localities (the t e x t is s u p p l e m e n t e d w i t h excellent p h o t o s , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e o f i n t e r e s t i n g or e n d a n g e r e d species s u c h as Gentianella uliginosa a n d Lycopodium inundatum). A s u r v e y is also g i v e n o f t h e m a i n c h a n g e s o f t h e flora u n d e r h u m a n i n f l u e n c e since 1749 w h e n LI~CI~AEus v i s i t e d t h i s r e g i o n a n d m a d e t h e first p l a n t records. J o h n K r a f t h a s w r i t t e n a good local Flora. JAY KIRS CHiX~ER

F. VUILLEUMIER a n d M. MONAS~RIO HIGH

ALTITUDE

TROPICAL

[eds.] BIOGEOGRAPHY

O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press, N e w Y o r k / O x f o r d 1986, 649 pp., 232 figs. Price ~e 8 5 , - - . U n l i k e t h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f n a t u r a l science, b i o g e o g r a p h y s t a r t e d d e v e l o p i n g in t h e Tropics. T h e h i g h m o u n t a i n r e g i o n o f t h e A n d e s p l a y e d a n e m i n e n t role in initial s t e p s i n t h i s field. Alex a n d e r H u m b o l d t a n d A. B o n p l a n d were t h e i m m o r t a l pioneers o f " O b s e r v a t i o n s a n d m e a s u r e m e n t s e x e c u t e d b e t w e e n 10 ~ N a n d 10 ~ S in t h e y e a r s 1799 to 1803", as w r i t t e n in t h e s u b t i t l e o f t h e w o r k " I d e e n zu e i n e r Geographio dor P f l a n z e n ' n e b s t e i n e m l ~ a t u r g e m A l d e d e r T r o p o n l g n d o r ' , p u b l i s h e d in T i i b i n g e n in 1807. T h o u g h t h e e d i t o r s o f t h e u n d e r b o o k p r o b i t y r e v i e w m i s s e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to m e n t i o n t h i s t h e i r b o o k is a r e m a r k a b l e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f r e s e a r c h s t a r t e d n e a r l y t w o c e n t u r i e s ago. K n o w l e d g e o f t r o p i c a l n a t u r e h a s p r o g r e s s e d v a s t l y i n r e c e n t decades. A n u m b e r o f s u m m a r i z i n g r e v i e w s o n r a i n forest, s a v a n n a s , a n d m a n g r o v e s h a v e b e e n p u b l i s h e d on a global scale. A t l a s t we h a v e m u l t i d l s c i p l i n a r y a n d i n t e r c o n t i n e n t a l c o v e r a g e o f p l a n t a n d a n i m a l life a b o v e t h e t i m b e r l i n e i n S o u t h A m e r i c a , A f r i c a a n d S o u t h e a s t e r n Asia. T h e b o o k u n d e r review will definitely be a r i c h s o u r c e o f d a t a a n d i d e a s r e f e r r i n g to t h e b i o d i v o r s l t y e n c o u n t e r e d in h i g h a l t i t u d e s close to t h e Equator. T h e S o u t h A m e r i c a n p u n a a n d pAramo, t h e A f r i c a n afro-alpine e c o s y s t e m s , a n d t h e M a l e s i a n " t r o p i c a l - a l p i n e " b i o m e s d e s e r v e d a u n i f y i n g e o n e e p t a n d a d e q u a t e n a m e . T h e editors o f t h i s g e n e r a l review p r o p e r l y u s e d t h e i r " r i g h t o f t h e first", a n d coined t h e n a m e " p A r a m o " as t h e

112

FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ET PHYTOTAXONOMICA 24, 1989

most consistent counterpart to other international terms, such as tundra, taiga, steppe, mangrove, etc. The book contains 23 scientific contributions from various fields of ecology, climatology, botany and zoology. G. SAR~ilENTO describes major geographic trends in high-altitude climates, presents some case studies, and refers to the influence of aspect and topography on temperature. Two detailed chapters deal with the astomshing hfe-forms of the Asteraceae met with in tropical mountains: the giant species of Espdetia (in the Andes) are described by M. MONASTE]~IO,those of the Senecio genus by D. J. MABBEI~LEY.Anybody interested in plant life will enjoy the curious details referring to the half tree/half herbs surviving in a climate of nocturnal frost and day-time heat. The Espeletia genus is also examined from the view point of taxonomy and evolution b y J. CrJATRECASAS, the most expormnced American scholar in the Aeteraceae. A similar approach is apphed b y B. t3. SIm'SOl~ in his s t u d y of the Polylepis species. Several chapters will satisfy biogeographers and taxonomists searching for the origin and evolution of the high mountain flora. J. A. STEYERMARK describes speciation and endemism on the Venezuelan tepuis, the mysterious hills protruding above the timberline in the Amazoma basin. This paper is of general importance for studies of refuges and the migration of flora in any p a r t of the Tropics. A number of pseudo-sclentlfiC papers have been published in recent years referring to the tepuis and Dr. STEYEI~AI~X'S paper will Serve as a source of critical data. The ecologists, on the other hand, will very much appreciate the summarizing paper by T, D. I-IAI~ME~ and A. M. CI~EEF describing the present vegetation belts and diversity of vegetation t y p e s in the Andes; these authors also give a key to the origin of the flora successively developed on the tops of the Cordillera elevated by geological forces only "recently"; a hypothetical open vegetation t y p e called "prdpgLramo" is a reasonable stepping stone into the psst. Literature on altitudinal belts of the Andes is fairly large and the summarization offered b y experienced authors is of great value. W i t h regard to vegetation and flora, the Malesian high mountains are represented, too, by a paper b y g. M. B. S~ITI~. The complexity of the volume under review is well demonstrated by 10 papers dealing with vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Mammals, birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles and insects are described and analysed from different viewpoints. Domestication of the Andean mammals is tackled, too (E. S. Wn~o). Again, the zoological and geographical aspects of the tropical high mountains are treated from an intercontinental view, which makes the book extremely handy for rapid reconnaissance of the biodiversity shown in America, Africa and Asia. The editors, sponsors, authors and publishers have given a nice present to all scholars and friends of the suffering tropical landscape. Those o f us who have had the opportunity to stroll t h e peculiar phramo stands and tried to accomplish some research projects in this region, will all appreciate the complexity and heuristic value of t h e "book. The German-French team o f A. HUMBOLDT and A. BOI~IaeI,A~D were mentioned above as the pioneers of research in tropical high mountains. These 24 authors of 10 nationalities should be acknowledged as veritable protagonists in this fascinating field. JA~ JENIK