Introduction

This is the final volume of the series Pacific Plant Areas, initiated by the former director of the Rijksherbarium, Dr. H.J. Lam, during the sixth Pacific Science Congress at Berkeley, USA, in 1939. Lam became the chairman of the subsection Pacific Plant Areas in 1953. The actual start of the project did not take place until 1958 when Dr. C.G.G.J, van Steenis took over the chairmanship of Dr. Lam, whom he was also later to succeed as director of the Rijksherbarium. The first volume published in 1963 by the National Institute of Science and Technology in Manila consisted of an extensive Bibliography of Pacific plant maps, scrutinously compiled by Mrs. M.J. van Steenis-Kruseman and 26 maps and text prepared by the general editor, Professor van Steenis.