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Introduction.. How to use this book.. Family accounts (listed by Order.. Hymenophyllales.. Cyatheales.. Polypodiales.. Magnoliales.. Laurales.. Alismatales.. Dioscoreales.. Liliales.. Asparagales.. Arecales.. Commelinales.. Zingiberales.. Poales.. Vitales.. Zygophyllales.. Fabales.. Rosales.. Fagales.. Cucurbitales.. Oxalidales.. Malpighiales.. Myrtales.. Sapindales.. Malvales.. Santalales.. Caryophyllales.. Ericales Unplaced.. Gentianales.. Boraginales.. Solanales.. Lamiales.. Asterales.. Apiales.. Acknowledgements.. References.. Index of plant names

The tropics with their lush rainforests are extremely rich in plant life but are still comparatively unknown. Botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have a long tradition of exploring and plant collecting in the tropics, accumulating an unsurpassed practical knowledge of the tropical plants they encounter. The Kew Tropical Plant Families Identification Handbook brings together this knowledge in a guide to the commonly encountered and ecologically important plants of the tropics. Written by Kew's experts, this handbook is based on Kew's Tropical Plant Identification course, which uses classical morphology, as well as more simple 'spot' characters, to teach plant identification. A total of 87 families are described in detail and richly illustrated with photographs showing the important identification characters. This book can be the primary starting resource for any tropical botanist across the globe, as well as students, conservation workers, and ecologists who need to identify tropical plants. Inglés