Although they are relative latecomers on the evolutionary scene, having
emerged only 135‒170 million years ago, angiosperms--or flowering
plants--are the most diverse and species-rich group of seed-producing
land plants, comprising more than 15,000 genera and over 350,000
species. Not only are they a model group for studying the patterns and
processes of evolutionary diversification, they also play major roles in
our economy, diet, and courtship rituals, producing our fruits, legumes,
and grains, not to mention the flowers in our Valentine's bouquets. They
are also crucial ecologically, dominating most terrestrial and some
aquatic landscapes.
This fully revised edition of Phylogeny and Evolution of the
Angiosperms provides an up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the
evolution of and relationships among these vital plants. Incorporating
molecular phylogenetics with morphological, chemical, developmental, and
paleobotanical data, as well as presenting a more detailed account of
early angiosperm fossils and important fossil information for each
evolutionary branch of the angiosperms, the new edition integrates
fossil evidence into a robust phylogenetic framework. Featuring a wealth
of new color images, this highly synthetic work further reevaluates
long-held evolutionary hypotheses related to flowering plants and will
be an essential reference for botanists, plant systematists, and
evolutionary biologists alike.