Reviews

This is the second book by this author dealing with the Pinaceae. In 1984 he treated the genus Pinus, now he treats the remaining genera of the family. An overview of the genera and their species is given, as well as keys to the subfamilies and genera, and to the species. Various aspects of the taxa are described, including nomenclature, infraspecific delimitation, vegetative and generative morphology, ecology, and distribution pattern. The book is well illustrated with black-and-white drawings of each species, showing their habitus and a number of morphological details. The distributions are indicated on very small-sized world maps; in case of restricted distributions usually, but unfortunately not always, accompanied by a more detailed map. A separate chapter is devoted to the leaf anatomy of a selection of species representing the genera. The author presents his own ideas about the delimitation of taxa and their taxonomic position, including some new combinations. In the general introduction to the family, he discusses briefly the taxonomic subdivision into subfamilies. He presents a data matrix of the genera and a dendrogram on which he bases his classification in subfamilies. In my opinion the method he used is inconsistent. He does not explain which computer program has been used and how the dendrogram was made. Apparently the author used a phenetic analysis, but he aims at monophyletic groups (p. 3). A more consistent approach towards the classification within the Pinaceae is still needed. Nevertheless, this book presents a great deal of information on this family, and a useful and rather complete compilation of the state of affairs regarding their taxonomy.