Customer Reviews

Cycads of the World: Ancient Plants in Today's Landscape, Second Edition

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Today's cycads are but relics of a worldwide population that flourished during the Mesozoic Era. Although superficially similar to palms, cycads are not flowering plants, and have a much more primitive structure. Many cycads have become inceasingly rare because of limited habitat and human encroachment. Only in recent years have people become aware of the great aesthetic value of cycads and incorporated them into gardens and lawns as useful, ornamental plants.

This book covers the worldwide variety of cycads in encyclopedic fashion. Beginning with a distribution map, the first half of the book introduces the history of cycads, their conservation and propagation, and their biology, structure, cultivation, and economic importance. Pests and diseases are also addressed.

The second half of the book addresses the different genera and species in turn, with an understandable, easily read text and good photos of each plant in its native state. The discussion covers plants in all areas of the tropics.

Anyone deciding to select a different form, or forms, of cycad cannot let this book go unread. Even if the reader lives in a climate where cycad cultivation is difficult or impossible, the book is an extremely interesting read about plants the dinosaurs lived near every day. Any person with an interest in botany will treasure ths book. I recommend it very highly.

NOTE: I am reviewing the 1993 edition. A revised edition is coming out in August, 2002. I will buy it immediately.

A very nice to read and study text, with plenty of pictures and drawings, undertandable also by someone like me that reads english only from time to time... I think it is a must for all of us loving cycads and relateds, with a lot to learn. More than only an introduction to all that beauty..

I am a professional plant biologist, having taught plant biology and done research on various aspects of plant development for 35 years at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. I used to teach a course on comparative morphology of vascular plants, including all of the living seed plants. I very much wish I had had access to DL Jones's books on cycads during my teaching career. Although I did a reasonable job with the basics of cycad biology, Jones gave me all sorts of things that my students would have found fascinating. The book is also very well illustrated.

This book is superb. David Jones has a passion for these fascinating plants and this shines through on every page of this excellent book. Every aspect of the biology, cultural significance, aesthetic value and cultivation requirements of cycads are presented in an accessible but comprehensive style. The book abounds with fascinating information including detailed distribution maps and conservation status, and is wonderfully illustrated with photographs and line illustrations. I cannot praise this book too highly, and if you are thinking of purchasing a book on the subject it has to be this one. I would advise against buying any book that covers both palms and cycads as they are very different plants and, inevitably, the cycads will miss out.

Cycads is a book both scientifically accurate yet very accessible to the ordinary reader. It covers all the known species of in the 11 genera of cycads. The introductory chapters of nearly 100pp included discussions on history and prehistory, conservation, the structure of cycads, economic importance, biology of cycads, cultivation, pests and diseases, propagation, and cycads for containers. There are three appendices: cycad synonyms, lists of authors and a selection of fossil cycads. The book includes a glossary, bibliography and index.

The bulk of the book, well over 300pp, however is devoted to the individual species, with precise descriptions including etymology, distribution and habitat, notes, cultivation and propagation. There are over 360 colour photographs in addition to black and white photographs, line drawings and maps.

It is a good size and very handsome volume, beautifully illustrated, informative and easy to read; with this book one would surely need for nothing more.

It's a complete book for general Cycad lovers, also with plenty of color pictures in this book. It lists almost every kinds of Cycad species nowadays recognized, corrects the chaos nonmeclature of Cycad. It's also in good price and available.

I highly recommend this book.I will also follow the next edition.