Biographie de l'auteur :
James E. Eckenwalder is associate professor of plant systematics at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto, where he focuses on taxonomy, natural hybridization, and macroevolution. He graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and earned his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley. His research, which has resulted in significant changes to conifer taxonomy, emphasizes the classification and evolution of vascular plants, especially trees. His interests include the theoretical and practical bases of plant classification, the tracing of evolutionary histories, the integration of different lines of taxonomic evidence into classifications, the most effective ways of incorporating taxonomically awkward organisms (especially hybrids and fossils) into classifications, and the testing of taxonomic hypotheses. His research focuses on groups at different taxonomic levels: the genus Populus, the aspens, cottonwoods, and other poplars; the family Convolvulaceae, which includes morning glories and bindweeds; and the gymnosperms, the generally cone-bearing plants that include pine, spruce, and fir trees, junipers, cypresses, cedars, and redwoods (all conifers), as well as cycads and ginkgo. Eckenwalder's research employs a broad spectrum of modern and traditional approaches, including biosystematics, chemotaxonomy (flavonoids), numerical taxonomy and morphometrics, paleobotany, and cladistics, among other techniques.
Présentation de l'éditeur :
This definitive work provides up-to-date descriptions of all the true conifers of the world. It is the first comprehensive update of conifer taxonomy in nearly a century. Noted conifer taxonomist James E. Eckenwalder discusses the relationships, practical usages, champion trees, fossil occurrences, and biology. New identification guides for the families and genera are based on foliage features and are easier to use than traditional conifer keys. Eckenwalder shares the reasoning behind his taxonomic decisions, many of which are unique to this book, reflecting a comprehensive reevaluation of conifer classification. He also outlines the features sought in cultivars of each genus, particular cultivation concerns, and conifers recommended for cultivation under various conditions and to achieve different effects. With its unprecedented attention to detail and extensive bibliography, this major work is an essential reference for botanists, naturalists, and horticulturists.
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