This field guide illustrates and describes ca. 20% of the recorded 1’160 vascular plants of the department of Arequipa in Southern Peru. It aims to be a comprehensive field guide for tourists and locals. The first part of the book describes the vegetation of Arequipa. It gives an overview of the harsh conditions of south-peruvian ecosystems. Bone-dry deserts and high mountains with extreme temperature fluctuations challenges plant growth. Such ecosystmes demand adaptation by the inhabitants, especially by the plants, which can not escape their habitat. The second part of the book is dedicated to the plant species of the departement of Arequipa. With the illustrations and the description in this book, the reader should be able to recognize the plants in their habitat. Additionally it provides information about the use and the ecology of the described species.

"This monograph's dual purpose is to describe the 1777-1788 botanical expedition to Perú and Chile undertaken by Hipólito Ruiz López, José Antonio Pavón y Jiménez, and the French botanist Joseph Dombey, and, subsequently, the efforts made to publish the expedition's findings, the advancement of botany in those regions, and the careers of this trio and their assistants. The account is carried to the death of Pavón in 1840. Introductory chapters summarize the development of botany in Europe to the date of the expedition, and an appendix describes South America's role as a supplier of quinine"--Bowser, F. (1965). Book review in The Americas, 21(4), page 429.

To understand almost any part of the tropical rain forest's fabulously complex web of life, one must first learn to identify a bewildering array of plants. Alwyn Gentry's landmark book, completed just before his tragic death in 1993, is the only field guide to the nearly 250 families of woody plants in the most species-rich region of South America. As a consummate field researcher, Gentry designed this guide to be not just comprehensive, but also easy to use in rigorous field conditions. Unlike many field guides, which rely for their identifications on flowers and fruits that are only present during certain seasons, Gentry's book focuses on characters such as bark, leaves, and odor that are present year-round. His guide is filled with clear illustrations, step-by-step keys to identification, and a wealth of previously unpublished data. All biologists, wildlife managers, conservationists, and government officials concerned with the tropical rain forests will need and use this field guide. Alwyn Gentry was one of the world's foremost experts on the biology of tropical plants. He was senior curator at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and was a member of Conservation International's interdisciplinary Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) team, which inventories the biodiversity of the most threatened tropical areas. From 1967 to 1993 he collected more than 80,000 plant specimens, many of them new to science.

This new guide is the ideal companion for trekkers or sightseers, providing concise coverage of the plants and animals they are most likely to encounter. A colorful and very readable guide, catering to the ardent wildlife enthusiast and the curious armchair traveler alike.

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