This encyclopedia offers access to the diversity of ferns and seed plants, the most important groups of green land plants. Available information of general and systematic relevance is synthesized at the level of families. Evidence from virtually all disciplines important to modern taxonomy makes the work a most valuable source of reference not only for taxonomists, but for all who are interested in the various aspects of plant diversity. A revised classification includes a complete inventory of genera along with their diagnostic features, keys for identification, and references to the...

In this volume, 24 flowering plant families comprising a total of 911 genera are treated. They represent the asterid order Lamiales except for Acanthaceae (including Avicenniaceae), which will be included in a later volume. Although most of the constituent families of the order have been recognized as being closely related long ago, the inclusion of the families Byblidaceae, Carlemanniaceae and Plocospermataceae is the result mainly of recent molecular systematic research. Keys for the identification of all genera are provided, and likely phylogenetic relationships are discussed...