Anatomy of Flowering Plants: An Introduction to Plant Structure and Development

Description

Understanding plant anatomy is not only fundamental to the study of plant systematics and palaeobotany, but is also an essential part of evolutionary biology, physiology, ecology and the rapidly expanding science of developmental genetics. This modernised new edition covers all aspects of comparative plant structure and development, arranged in a series of chapters on the stem, root, leaf, flower, pollen, seed and fruit. Internal structures are described using magnification aids from the simple hand-lens to the electron microscope. Numerous references to recent topical literature are included, and new illustrations reflect a wide range of flowering plant species. The phylogenetic context of plant names has been updated as a result of improved understanding of the relationships among flowering plants. This clearly written text is ideal for students studying a wide range of courses in botany and plant science, and is also an excellent resource for professional and amateur horticulturists.

Paula Rudall is Research Professor at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK and an international authority on the evolution of plant form. Her research interests range from the organization of flowers and the patterning of petal surfaces to the intricate structure and development of the stomatal pores on the surfaces of leaves. Her numerous professional awards include the Dahlgren Prize, the Linnean Society Gold Medal, and election as Foreign Member of both the Botanical Society of America and the American Society of Plant Taxonomists. In addition to several books, she has authored over 300 peer-reviewed papers.