Tropical Plants of the World

Rating:
Summary: Pretty neat?
Review: This is a book with a familiar set-up: a page with two color pictures showing the flower(s) of a tropical plant, with on the opposite page a concise supporting text. It is a pity the book is not a little bigger, which would have allowed the pictures to be printed at a higher magnification. But I guess the size comes with the territory (and the price). The pictures are all of a decent quality (or better).

The author is a wellknown and top rank German botanist and the quality does shine through. However the original book was written in German, and the translation was quite lackadaisical. The Introduction contains some errors not even a novice botanist would have made: there is a caption where Tillandsia is called an Orchid and a caption that calls a flush of young Brownea leafs "leaf shedding". The bit on Plant names in the Introduction is even worse off.

Note that no synonyms are provided, which means that it may be hard to use this book alongside other works, of an earlier date. Those looking for Chorisia speciosa or Tabebuia pentaphylla will have to know to look for Ceiba speciosa and Tabebuia rosea or they won't find them.

Rating:
Summary: Accessible and informative
Review: This is probably one of the better handbooks on tropical plants out today. It nicely blends text and images to give the beginner/amateur a solid understanding of the range of these beautiful plants and the expert a guide for tracking them down. The photos are wonderful and the writing is clear and precise. A must for plant enthusiasts.