240 pages
ISBN 9978-42-5547-0 and 9978-42-546-2 2002
I am not a reviewer or an expert bromeliophile. I would call myself a somewhat informed amateur who was a professional chemist. But until I get a more informed review I would like to post this view.
It is a large book, 12 by 9 inches. it appears to me to be impeccably printed with many beautiful photographs. It is the first of a planned trilogy and covers 78 species of Bromelioideae in Ecuador.
It has 14 chapters, several of them seeming to me to be rather unique. The first chapter covers the historical figures in bromeliads, the present day figures in bromeliads and other friends of bromeliads.
The second chapter discusses habitats and biodiversity, while chapter three discusses morphology.
Chapter four describes the Ecuadorian Collections and the preparation of specimens, and chapter five has the taxonomic classifications and characteristics of the subfamilies.
Chapter six introduces the family Bromelioideae.
The next eight chapters are for the eight genera in this sub-family, Greigia, Ananus, Billbergia, Neoregelia, Ronnbergia, Bromelia, Chevaliera and Aechmea.Then there is a wonderful appendix for the uninformed such as I. In addition to the list of abbreviations, author abbreviations and lists of photographic collaborations, there is a list of all cited plants and a wonderful etymology, a glossary and an extensive display of illustrations of morphology. It then ends up with a tree showing relationship of the various plants, several maps of the area, a literature cited list, references and index.
This appears to be a complete reference. Perhaps many of the professionals do not need some of these items but for the semi-educated amateur like myself, I look on it as an indispensible guide to botanical information in a very attractive package.
