Plant Systematics [Hardcover]

Michael G. Simpson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0126444609 | ISBN-13: 978-0126444605 | Edition: 1

Plant Systematics contains the essential paradigms, concepts, and terms required for a basic understanding of plant systematics at the graduate or undergraduate level. Plant systematics is an area central to numerous other biological disciplines, and a large subset of plant scientists are required to take a course in plant systematics. Almost all ecologists, horticulturalists, plant developmental biologists, and plant pathologists are interested in plant systematics because it is central to their studies of the plants that form such a large part of every ecosystem and experimental system.

* The Henry Allan Gleason Award of The New York Botanical Garden, awarded for "Outstanding recent publication in the field of plant taxonomy, plant ecology, or plant geography" (2006)
* Contains numerous cladograms that illustrate the evolutionary relationships of major plant groups, with an emphasis on the adaptive significance of major evolutionary novelties
*Provides descriptions and classifications of major groups of angiosperms, including over 90 flowering plant families
* Includes a comprehensive glossary of plant morphological terms as well as appendices on botanical illustration and plant description

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Michael Simpson has achieved the Herculean task of bringing together within a single book the many subdisciplines of Botany that are embraced by the ever-broadening field of Plant Systematics. Within these pages are detailed chapters focusing on plant structure and the terminology used to describe plants, the evolution and classification of plants based on the most up-to-date information, and an introduction to the plant systematist's toolbox including chapters on herbarium management, specimen collection, molecular techniques, and fundamentals of nomenclature. As if this were not enough, the book is generously illustrated with full color plates that bring each topic to life. The botanical community has been waiting for a textbook like this for a long time - the wait is finally over!" - Kenneth M. Cameron, The New York Botanical Garden, U.S.A.

"This is an "enabling" book on many levels. The labeled photographs of dissections and other structural details will speed mastery of plant diversity by students, as will the eclectic assortment of exemplar species pictured. The presentations of phylogenetic and molecular systematics give an accessible introduction to these complex and rapidly changing methodologies which pervade the modern systematic literature. Unit IV and the Appendices provide students with an instruction manual to guide them in systematic research of their own.

Simpson also places plant systematics within the larger context of plant biology by relating taxonomic characters to, for example, molecular models of floral development, assessment of plant breeding system ecology, and the physiology of alternative photosynthetic pathways. This allows students and non-systematists to see that these aspects of plant biology have evolutionary dimensions as well." - David M. Johnson, Ohio Wesleyan University, U.S.A.

"I am impressed and excited about this book. I am impressed, because Mike Simpson has authored a comprehensive, up to date, user friendly, and profusely illustrated textbook that will facilitate the teaching of plant systematics. The organization, breadth of topics, and illustrations are truly exceptional; Dr. Simpson has "raised the bar" in terms of textbook quality and scope. I am excited, because this book undoubtedly will serve as a valuable teaching and learning resource for the college classroom. Instructors and students will love this book, especially with its wealth of images, clarity of presentation, and review questions and exercises after each chapter." - Wayne J. Elisens, University of Oklahoma, Norman, U.S.A.

Book Description

Superb illustrations and explanations help readers classify and study plant features and plant families

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (September 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0126444609
• ISBN-13: 978-0126444605
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #605,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simpson, M. Plant Systematics, March 21, 2006

By 

M. Patterson (Charlottesville, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Plant Systematics (Hardcover)

One of the best plant systematics texts on the market. Highly recommend for any college-level botanist or aspiriing botanist. Covers a large subject in a lot of depth, and does so in a very informative and easy-to-understand manner.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Likable, November 21, 2006

By 

P. van Rijckevorsel (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Plant Systematics (Hardcover)

This is the book that competes with the award-winning "Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach" for the spot as the introductory text on modern plant systematics and comes out ahead. Quite noticeable are the color photographs (instead of the sometimes not so brilliant line-drawings) which makes this a more friendly book to leaf through. Also noticeable is a hefty chapter on plant morphology. This book appears to be considerably more balanced than its competitor.

However, the book is not without its downsize: in this age of brilliant color printing the photographs do appear a little lackluster. Browsing through the chapter on nomenclature some errors catch the eye (not untypical; nomenclature not being a favorite topic among plant taxonomists): perhaps the worst is that etymology of family names is given! Ouch.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Overly complex --- very winded!, February 9, 2011

By 

terri gall (TACOMA, WA, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Plant Systematics (Hardcover)

ok, this book has the detail you might like if you plan on attending graduate school specializing Botany. Otherwise, its long winded sections with awkward wording will drive you up a tree to escape its insufferable language. The author could of simplified most sections or included bullet point summaries, but no. Its simply a bad example of somebody trying to show off their knowledge in a overly-complex way.

Also, the reviews above are actually by the publisher reps, not real people who use this book for their college courses. If you have a choice between books, go another route and save yourself some grief.