Explore the vast range of titles available.

Orchids of Tropical America is an entertaining, informative, and splendidly illustrated introduction to the orchid family for enthusiasts and newcomers seeking to learn about more than 120 widespread orchid genera. Joe E. Meisel, Ronald S. Kaufmann, and Franco Pupulin bring alive the riot of colors, extraordinary shapes, and varied biology and ecology of the principal orchid genera ranging from Mexico and the Caribbean to Bolivia and Brazil. Orchids, likely the most diverse family of plants on earth, reach their peak diversity in the tropical countries of the Western Hemisphere, including, for example, more than 2,500 species in Brazil and 4,000 in Ecuador. The book also highlights reserves in the American tropics where travelers can enjoy orchids in the wild. Whether you journey abroad to see these unique plants, raise them in your home, or admire them from afar, this book offers fascinating insights into the diversity and natural history of orchids. Beyond the plant and flower descriptions, Orchids of Tropical America is packed with informative stories about the ecology and history of each genus. Pollination ecology is given in detail, with an emphasis on how floral features distinctive to the genus are linked to interaction with pollinators. This book also features information on medicinal and commercial uses, notes on the discoverers, and relevant historical data. The easy-to-use identification system permits quick recognition of the most common orchid groups in Central and South America. Genus descriptions are given in plain language designed for a nonscientific audience but will prove highly useful to advanced botanists as well. Descriptions focus on external morphology, and great care has been taken to ensure the guide is useful in the field without reliance on microscopes or dissections. Equally valuable as a field guide, a desktop reference, or a gift, Orchids of Tropical America will make an excellent addition to any orchid lover's library. Visit the website for this book at www.orchidsoftropicalamerica.com. \"The authors of this introductory text are acknowledged experts on tropical American orchids with decades of combined experience of orchids in both the wild and culture. You could not find a better trio of enthusiasts and specialists to introduce you to the wonderful and occasionally bizarre world of tropical American orchids.\"-from the Foreword by Phillip J. CribbOrchids of Tropical America is an entertaining, informative, and splendidly illustrated introduction to the orchid family for enthusiasts and newcomers seeking to learn about more than 120 widespread orchid genera. Joe E. Meisel, Ronald S. Kaufmann, and Franco Pupulin bring alive the riot of colors, extraordinary shapes, and varied biology and ecology of the principal orchid genera ranging from Mexico and the Caribbean to Bolivia and Brazil. Orchids, likely the most diverse family of plants on earth, reach their peak diversity in the tropical countries of the Western Hemisphere, including, for example, more than 2,500 species in Brazil and 4,000 in Ecuador. The book also highlights reserves in the American tropics where travelers can enjoy orchids in the wild.Whether you journey abroad to see these unique plants, raise them in your home, or admire them from afar, this book offers fascinating insights into the diversity and natural history of orchids. Beyond the plant and flower descriptions,Orchids of Tropical America is packed with informative stories about the ecology and history of each genus. Pollination ecology is given in detail, with an emphasis on how floral features distinctive to the genus are linked to interaction with pollinators. This book also features information on medicinal and commercial uses, notes on the discoverers, and relevant historical data.The easy-to-use identification system permits quick recognition of the most common orchid groups in Central and South America. Genus descriptions are given in plain language designed for a nonscientific audience but will prove highly useful to advanced botanists as well. Descriptions focus on external morphology, and great care has been taken to ensure the guide is useful in the field without reliance on microscopes or dissections. Equally valuable as a field guide, a desktop reference, or a gift,Orchids of Tropical America will make an excellent addition to any orchid lover's library.Visit the website for this book at www.orchidsoftropicalamerica.com.

Orchid Biotechnology II presents a series of recent works on both basic and applied researches in biotechnology progress for Phalaenopsis and Oncidium orchids. These include the development of flower, ovule, gynostemium and perianth, the discovery of new orchid-infecting viruses and virus movement, secondary metabolites, technology of DNA endoduplication and genetic transformation, growth regulation by micronutrition and orchid mycorrhiza, and plant growth substances for flowering.The diversity and specialization in orchid floral morphology have fascinated botanists and collectors for centuries. The orchid industry has been growing substantially in the past ten years worldwide. This book focuses on the recent advances in the research of orchid biotechnology from the past ten years in Taiwan. To advance the orchid industry, enhancement of basic research as well as advanced biotechnology will provide a good platform to improve flower quality and breeding of new varieties.Sample Chapter(s)Foreword (41 KB)Chapter 1: Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeography of Phalaenopsis Species (736 KB)Contents: Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeography of Phalaenopsis SpeciesEndopolyploidy in Phalaenopsis Orchids and Its Application in Polyploid BreedingGrowth Responses and Changes of Active Components as Influenced by Elevations and Orchid Mycorrhizae on Anoectochilus Formosanus HayataCompositional Variation in the Polysaccharides of the Pseudobulb of Oncidium Gower Ramsey During Different Stages of Inflorescence DevelopmentColoration and Color Patterning in Floral Tissues of Oncidium Gower RamseyQualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Pigments in Phalaenopsis SpeciesBiosynthetic Pathway of Pigments in Phalaenopsis SpeciesBiosynthetic Regulation of Floral Scent in PhalaenopsisWarm- and Cool-Night Temperature Alter Carbon Dioxide Fixation Pattern and Biochemical Metabolism in Phalaenopsis Aphroditeand other papersReadership: Graduate students and researchers in crop science, plant physiology, molecular biology, microbiology/virology, biochemistry, genetics/genomics, tissue engineering, biotechnology, botany/plant biology, natural product research.

Despite its relevance, the study of the inflorescence from a typological point of view generally goes unnoticed in taxonomy, which is fundamental for the comparison of structural elements of the same origin. Pleurothallidinae is not the exception, and its typology has not been studied in detail, causing incorrect interpretations of its structures and misapplication of terms. Here the morphology of Pleurothallidinae inflorescences is analyzed and discussed from a typological point of view, based on the detailed study of structural elements of living material, which are illustrated by photographs and diagrams. The study shows that the subtribe presents a generalized type of inflorescences formed by an abbreviated peduncle and branch system that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Each branch may produce coflorescences of different lengths with one or multiple flowers, also presenting different patterns of succession that determine the general appearance of the plant. Single-flowered coflorescences are dominant in members of the Octomeria and Restrepia affinities, while multi-flowered coflorescences dominate the Acianthera , Lepanthes , Masdevallia , Phloeophila , Pleurothallis and Specklinia affinities. A general and practical classification is established for the different types of coflorescences according to the length and number of flowers produced. Resumen A pesar de su relevancia, el estudio de las inflorescencias desde un punto de vista tipológico pasa generalmente desapercibido en la taxonomía, lo cual es fundamental para la comparación de elementos estructurales de un mismo origen. Pleurothallidinae no ha sido la excepción, y su tipología no ha sido estudiada a detalle, provocando interpretaciones incorrectas de sus estructuras y mala aplicación de términos. Aquí se analiza y discute la morfología de las inflorescencias de Pleurothallidinae desde un punto de vista tipológico, basado en el estudio detallado de los elementos estructurales de material vivo, los cuales son ilustrados mediante fotografías o diagramas. El estudio demuestra que la subtribu presenta un tipo generalizado de inflorescencias formadas por un sistema de ramificación abreviado que no se observa a simple vista. Cada rama es capaz de producir coflorescencias de diferente longitud con una o múltiples flores, presentando también diferentes patrones de sucesividad que determina la apariencia general de la planta. Las coflorescencias de una solo flor es dominante en los clados miembros de las afinidades Octomeria y Restrepia , mientras que las coflorescencias de múltiples flores dominan las afinidades Acianthera , Lepanthes , Masdevallia , Phloeophila , Pleurothallis y Specklinia . Se establece una clasificación general y practica para los diferentes tipos de coflorescencias según la longitud y cantidad de flores producidas.

Symbioses are ubiquitous in nature and influence individual plants and populations. Orchids have life history stages that depend fully or partially on fungi for carbon and other essential resources. As a result, orchid populations depend on the distribution of orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMFs). We focused on evidence that local-scale distribution and population dynamics of orchids can be limited by the patchy distribution and abundance of OMFs, after an update of an earlier review confirmed that orchids are rarely limited by OMF distribution at geographic scales. Recent evidence points to a relationship between OMF abundance and orchid density and dormancy, which results in apparent density differences. Orchids were more abundant, less likely to enter dormancy, and more likely to re-emerge when OMF were abundant. We highlight the need for additional studies on OMF quantity, more emphasis on tropical species, and development and application of next-generation sequencing techniques to quantify OMF abundance in substrates and determine their function in association with orchids. Research is also needed to distinguish between OMFs and endophytic fungi and to determine the function of non mycorrhizal endophytes in orchid roots. These studies will be especially important if we are to link orchids and OMFs in efforts to inform conservation.

Orchids comprise one of the largest, most highly evolved angiosperm families, and form an extremely peculiar group of plants. Various orchids are available through traditional breeding and micro-propagation since they are valuable as potted plants and/or cut flowers in horticultural markets. The flowering of orchids is generally influenced by environmental signals such as temperature and endogenous developmental programs controlled by genetic factors as is usual in many flowering plant species. The process of floral transition is connected to the flower developmental programs that include floral meristem maintenance and floral organ specification. Thanks to advances in molecular and genetic technologies, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying orchid floral transition and flower developmental processes have been widened, especially in several commercially important orchids such as Phalaenopsis , Dendrobium and Oncidium . In this review, we consolidate recent progress in research on the floral transition and flower development of orchids emphasizing representative genes and genetic networks, and also introduce a few successful cases of manipulation of orchid flowering/flower development through the application of molecular breeding or biotechnology tools.