Wild Arum. The most mysterious, stylish and sexual plant that you will ever meet. 'A Crafty & Malignant Antediluvian Vegetable' is how Arum was described by the Victorians and no wonder. This is a plant which is said to induce 'insatiable sexual desire' and has multiple orgasms as part of its reproduction. It has mythical links with serpents, death, creation and sexuality. It is included in the first ever encyclopaedia and in the remedies of a Welsh healing family who say they were taught by the fairy folk. Legends tell of its power to rouse bears from hibernation and how its pollen glows at night giving it the name of 'fairy lamps'. Known as Cuckoo Pint, Stallions and Mares and Dog's Dibble, amongst a host of other local names, Arum Maculatum has always stirred our imaginations. The unmistakable sexual suggestiveness carried in its curves has led to it being universally considered a powerful aphrodisiac. Reflecting this bawdy sexuality the plant has inspired over 150 common names in English alone: more than any other British plant. To know the Wild Arum is to steep one's self in the history of our ongoing relationship with plants and to delve into the very roots of herbalism and botany. It is to go on a journey which begins in ancient Greece with the earliest herbal manuscripts ever written and a single book which was in continual use for over 1500 years. It ends with the latest research into the genetic evolution of plants. It is to step into the intimate relationship between powerful plants and our own evolution, taking in along the way the first herbal guides, much myth and folklore, Elizabethan high fashion, rampant plagiarism and hibernating bears. It's quite a story. Containing over 80 stunning photographs showcasing this unique British plant, the Secret Life of Lords and Ladies explores the history, the mythology and the fascination which this plant has held for us since ancient times.

This book (hardcover) is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS. It contains classical literature works from over two thousand years. Most of these titles have been out of print and off the bookstore shelves for decades. The book series is intended to preserve the cultural legacy and to promote the timeless works of classical literature. Readers of a TREDITION CLASSICS book support the mission to save many of the amazing works of world literature from oblivion. With this series, tredition intends to make thousands of international literature classics available in printed format again - worldwide.

Plants face a wide range of environmental challenges, which are expected to become more intense as a result of global climate change. Plant-soil interactions play an important role in the functioning of ecosystems. Soil properties represent a strong selection pressure for plant diversity and influence the structure of plant communities and biodiversity. The complexity of plant-soil interactions has recently been studied by developing a trait-based approach in which responses and effects of plants on soil environment are quantified and modelled. This fundamental research on plant-soil interaction in ecosystems is essential to transpose knowledge of functional ecology to environmental management. Frontiers in Plant-Soil Interaction: Molecular Insights into Plant Adaptation will address topics that provide advances in understanding plant responses to soil conditions through the integration of genetic, molecular, and plant-level studies of diverse biotic and abiotic stresses under field and laboratory conditions. This book will be beneficial to students and researchers working on stress physiology and stress proteins, genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering and other fields of plant-soil interactions. Frontiers in Plant-Soil Interaction will also help scientists explore new horizons in their area of research.

Roselle: Production, Processing, Products and Biocomposites complies the latest findings on the production, processing, products and composites of the roselle plant. The book provides researchers with the latest information on its entire use, including fibers and fruit for any application. Subjects covered include environmental advantages and challenges, the plant as a renewable resource, economic issues such as the impact of biobased medicines, biodiesel, the current market for roselle products and regulations for food packaging materials. Sections include commentary from leading industrial and academic experts in the field who present cutting-edge research on roselle fiber for a variety of industries. By comprehensively covering the development and characterization of roselle fiber as a potential to replace conventional fiber made from petroleum-based polymers, this book is a must-have resource for anyone requiring up-to-date knowledge on the lifecycle of the roselle plant.

Volume 37 will provide details on the major chemical constituents of medicinal plants and their mechanism of action as the anticancer compounds. This special issue, in addition to the previous volume (volume 36 of The Enzyme series was on Natural Products and Cancer Signaling Targets: Isoprenoids, Polyphenols and Flavonoids), will highlight the significant advance made in the field in elucidating mechanisms of anticancer effect of the major phytochemicals.

Plant Tissue Culture: Techniques and Experiments, Fourth Edition, builds on the classroom tested, audience proven manual that has guided users through successful plant culturing for almost 30 years. The book's experiments demonstrate major concepts and can be conducted with a variety of plant materials readily available throughout the year. This fully updated edition describes the principles of the newest technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and RNAi technology with plant cell and tissue cultures and their applications. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book contains detailed methodology supported by comprehensive illustrations, giving users a diverse learning experience for both university students and plant scientists.

A growing interest in all things Maya brings an increasing number of visitors to prehistoric Maya ruins and contemporary Maya communities in Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, western Honduras, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the southern areas of Chiapas and Tabasco, Mexico. For these visitors and indeed everyone with an interest in the Maya, this field guide highlights nearly 100 species of plants and animals that were significant to the ancient Maya and that continue to inhabit the Maya region today.

Drawing from the disciplines of biology, ecology, and anthropology, Victoria Schlesinger describes each plant or animal's habitat and natural history, identifying characteristics (also shown in a black-and-white drawing), and cultural significance to the ancient and contemporary Maya. An introductory section explains how to use the book and offers a concise overview of the history, lifeways, and cosmology of the ancient Maya. The concluding section describes the collapse of ancient Maya society and briefly traces the history of the Maya region from colonial times to the present.

This volume reviews the historical roots and theoretical foundations of biological systematics in an approachable text. The author outlines the structure and main tasks of systematics. Conceptual history is characterized as a succession of scientific revolutions. The philosophical foundations of systematic research are briefly reviewed as well as the structure and content of taxonomic theories. Most important research programs in systematics are outlined. The book includes analysis of the principal problematic issues as "scientific puzzles" in systematics. This volume is intended for professional taxonomists, biologists of various specialties, students, as well as all those interested in the history and theory of biology and natural sciences. Key Features Considers the conceptual history of systematics as the framework of evolutionary epistemology Builds a hierarchically organized quasi-axiomatic system of taxonomic theory Contends that more reductionist taxonomic concepts are less objective Supports taxonomic pluralism by non-classic philosophy of science as a normal condition of systematics Documents that "taxonomic puzzles" result from conflict between monistic and pluralistic attitudes Related Titles de Queiroz, K. et al., eds. Phylonyms: A Companion to the PhyloCode (ISBN 978-1-1383-3293-5) Sigwart, J. D. What Species Mean: A User's Guide to the Units of Biodiversity (ISBN 978-1-4987-9937-9) Rieppel, O. Phylogenetic Systematics: Haeckel to Hennig (ISBN 978-1-4987-5488-0) Wilkins, J. S. Species: The Evolution of the Idea, 2nd ed. (ISBN 978-1-1380-5574-2)