p.h. raven, r.f. evert, helena curtis, ,biology of plants 2nd edition (1976) worth publishers pp. xv...

144 Reviews

and students. Fifteen papers deal with aspects of theAphyllophorales, three on other basidiomycetes, fiveon ascomycetes including a major review entitled'Perspectives in the Ascomycotina' by Margaret E.Barr, and one on a genus of hyphomycetes . The subjectscovered range from developmental studies and geneticsto cultural and morphological characters . New taxahonouring Joe Lowe are Lotoeoporus J. E. Wright andSpongiopellis subgen. Loweomyces Kotlaba & Pouzar(Polyporaceae) and Ploioderma lowei Czubator (Phaci-diales-Ascomycetes); additionally one other subgenustwelve new species, two new varieties, seventeen newcombinations and a single validation of a manuscriptname are proposed, mostly in the Aphyllophorales .Extens ive synonymies are made. Two papers on per-spectives in term inology are very instructive.

ROY WATLING

Maladies of Hevea in Malaysia. By B. SRIPATHI RAo.(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Rubber ResearchInstitute of Malaysia, 1975.) Pp. 108. 40 col. Illu-strations (watercolours) by HOH CHOO CHUAN andM. JEYANAYAGI. M$ 56.00.

This beautifully produced advisory text on rubber(Hevea brasiliensis) diseases in Malaysia is an adaptationfrom (or a new edition of) the book by R. N. Hilton(Maladies of Hevea in Malaya), published in 1959 andlong out of print. After a brief note on outlines of plantprotection the six main sections of the book are: root,panel, stem and branch, and leaf diseases, diseases ofnon-parasitic origin and physical injuries. There isa glossary of common disease names, with theirMalaysian equivalents, and an index. Each disease isconsidered on one page (opposite the coloured illu-strations) under : importance, etiology, symptoms,other plants affected (in some cases), spread, preventionand treatment. Some diseases not considered in theearlier work are: panel necrosis (Fusarium solani andBotryodiplodia theobromae associated), bark necrosis(etiology not conclusive), abnormal leaf fall (Phyto-phthora palmivora and P. botryosa) and leafspot(Corynespora cassiicola).

The book incorporates recent control measuresdeveloped in Malaysia, the world's largest producer ofnatural rubber. One example is in the control ofwhite root (Rigidoporus lignosusi, the most serious of allrubber diseases in the country. The development oflong-lasting, protectant fungistatic chemical formu-lations in controlling this disease (also red and brownroot, Ganoderma philipii and Phellinus noxius, res-pectively) has been one of the significant advances inrubber pathology in recent years. Also briefly reflectedare the advances made in our knowledge and control of

the two important fungi which are part of the patho-genic complex known as secondary leaf fall : Oidiumheveae and Colletotrichum gleosporioides (Glomerellacingulata). There are no bacterial or virus diseases ofrubber. The major leaf pathogen (Microcyclus ulei,causing South American leaf blight ) is confined toparts of tropical America and is therefore not described.

The text would have been improved by being maderather fuller and the very thick paper makes the booksomewhat clumsy to handle. But these are minorcriticisms of a finely illustrated work which should beclose to hand for anyone concerned with rubber in thefield. PAUL HOLLIDAY

Biology of Plants (znd edition). By P. H. RAVEN, R. F;EVERT and HELENA CURTIS. (WorthPublishers, 1976.)Pp, xv+658. Numerous illustrations.

The plethora of biological text books now available ismatched only by the variety of concepts in the minds ofbiologists of varied upbringing. To reconcile the firstwith the second must be the personal ambition of thosewho write such books and it is to be expected thata work such as 'Biology of Plants' reflects a personalapproach to teaching the subject.

Notwithstanding these comments, this book is re-freshing in its conventional approach. It consists ofsections corresponding to the good old-fash ionedtopics which we instantly recognize as : the cell;genetics; a systematic survey; plant structure; phys io-logical topics (photosynthesis, respiration, hormones,water, nutrition) and ecology. It is liberally laced withillustrations including numerous line diagrams anda high standard of both monochrome and colourphotographs, but it is free of artistic gimmicks. In factthe whole style of the book, in the text layout andpresentation of the supplementary material, makes forvery pleasant reading. There are, interjected into thetext, a number of essays which highlight importantperipheral topics, for example' Bioluminescence' and' Radiocarbon dating ' and provide some focal pointswithout distracting from the flow.

The subject matter is far too comprehensive todiscuss in detail but to me it encompasses a suitablespectrum for a first University course in Plant Biologyand would provide a broad, if conventional, basis for thespecialist courses that are so common nowadays.

For the mycologist, Biology of Plants devotes 35pages, about 5 % of its whole, to the Fungi. The textis concise and clear and the examples are carefullychosen. The photographs are extremely good. Whilenot providing a very extensive coverage for a mycologycourse there is sufficient material to give the studenta very clear insight into the Fungi .

GEOFFREY HADLEY

ERRATUM

The Bird's Nest Fungi. By Harold J. Brodie (University of Toronto Press). Price $25.00, not £4.00 as givenin Trans. Br, mycol. Soc. 67 (1) 183 (1976).