Plant Biosystematics is a compendium of papers from a symposium titled "Plant Biosystematics: Forty Years Later" held in Montreal in July 1983. This collection reviews the current field of biosystematics, particularly the evolution of natural biota, and how plant biosystematics can contribute to the welfare of humans. One paper reviews biosystematics, compares new approaches, and discusses the latest trend in comparative, molecular evolution of genes. One author discusses the cytology and biosystematics concerning the discontinuities and genetic independence occurring in the evolutionary process. Another author discusses chromosome pairing in species and hybrids that includes models of chromosome pairing in diploids. The text also describes chromosome banding and biosystematics, as well as the problems of chromosome banding that should be addressed to in future research. With estimates of the number of species being threatened with extinction numbering around 20,000 one paper address the issue of conservation and biosystematics. The author suggests that more biological information should be published to avoid duplication of effort, and possibly drive scientists to have their views more widely felt. Agriculturists, botanists, conservationists, environmentalists, and researchers in the field of botany, conservation, and plant genealogy will find this book valuable.

Ferns, collectively, represent an ancient species of vascular plant which has a direct connection to the beginning of life on Earth. Today they are valued for their ornamental appeal, environmental benefit or as sources of health benefiting metabolites. Current pteridology, the study of fern, encompasses a wide range of research activities including, but not limited to, plant physiology, stress tolerance, genetics and genomics. The goal of this book is to compile the most relevant research done with ferns during the last decade. It is organized into four parts: I, Biology and Biotechnology; II, Evolution and Conservation; III, Metabolism and Genetic Resources, and IV, Environment. Each section reveals the utilization of ferns as a tool to explore challenges unique to plant development and adaptation. This project represents our collective effort to raise the awareness of ferns as a model system to study higher plant functions. Among the distinctive features of our proposed book are: (i) a wide range of topics with contributing researchers from all around the world, and (ii) recent advances of theoretic and applied knowledge with implications to crop species of economic value.

Advances in Botanical Research publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences. The series features several reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology, and ecology. Volume 78 focuses on the Genomes and Evolution of Charophytes, Bryophytes, Lycophytes, and Ferns. Sequencing of genomes of 'lower' animals such as sponges or hydrozoans has much informed our understanding of how metazoans evolved. On the plant side of things, sequencing and comparison of a moss and lycophyte genome with those of green algae and flowering plants has greatly informed our understanding of plant evolution. However, it has also become clear that we need to look into genomes of the closest algal relatives to land plants, the charophytes, and into further genomes of bryophytes, lycophytes, and ferns to unravel how land plants evolved. - Features reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology, and ecology - Focuses on the genomes and evolution of charophytes, bryophytes, lycophytes, and ferns - Offers a first time compilation on non-flowering plant genomes - Helps unravel how land plants evolved

Survey of Biological Progress, Volume III explores the principles common to all biological areas that undergo major developments and modifications, including the embryo, botany, chromosome, insect behavior, hormones, and respiration. This volume is composed of six chapters, and begins with a presentation of the embryological concepts and the cellular components of the embryo. The next chapter deals with the trends in systematic botany of the vascular plants. Some of these trends apply equally well to nonvascular plants, as demonstrated by an upsurge of cytotaxonomic studies in the bryophytes, and the use of new techniques of importance to the systematist in such groups as the bacteria. These topics are followed by discussion on the cytologically detectable difference between the chromosome sets of related species, whether involving a difference in chromosome number or merely a change in the relative sequence of parts within a chromosome, as a cytotaxonomic difference. The remaining chapters describe the host-parasite interactions, the behavior of chemical trail-following and orientation to airborne odors of insects, the mechanism of action of hormones on cells, and the regulation of respiration rate. This book will be of value to undergraduate biology students.

This encyclopedia offers access to the diversity of ferns and seed plants, the most important groups of green land plants. Available information of general and systematic relevance is synthesized at the level of families. Evidence from virtually all disciplines important to modern taxonomy makes the work a most valuable source of reference not only for taxonomists, but for all who are interested in the various aspects of plant diversity. A revised classification includes a complete inventory of genera along with their diagnostic features, keys for identification, and references to the literature. The first volume deals with pteridophytes and gymnosperms.