The Palms of the Amazon

The palms are among the most abundant diverse, and important families of plants found in the Amazon. This book, based on extensive field work, provides a systematic treatment of all the palms that occur naturally in the Amazon region. Information is presented genus by genus, by species, and variety. There are keys to genera. Each species is described, its distribution, habitat, and ecology are reviewed, and its common names and uses given. The systematic account is preceded by chapters on the physical setting of the Amazon region (geology, climate, etc.), and notes on the palm family. There is a historical review of the botanists who collected and studied palms, together with a discussion of their species concepts. This book provides a definitive account of the ecology, uses, biogeography, and taxonomy of all 135 species of Amazon palms, for botanists, ecologists, agronomists, and conservation biologists.