Re: Books

Liane Cochran-Stafira (lcochran@midway.uchicago.edu)
Tue, 4 Apr 1995 17:12:58 -0500

> I would like to expand my CP book library. In particular I was
>wondering
>if anyone can tell me about The Carnivourous Plants by B.E. Juniper,
>R.J. Robins, and D.M. Joel (how useful is it, what material it covers,
>why it's so expensive, etc). Also, what's the difference between
>Adrian Slack's two books (Insect Eating Plants & How To Grow Them and
>Carnivorous Plants). Any other suggestions?
>
>Ben
>benjinsl@astro.ocis.temple.edu

Ben,

I'm sorry to say that most Academic Press books are frightfully expensive,
especially this one. I have talked to the publishers and haven't gotten a
really good reply as to why amd I also think it is way over-priced.
However, the book provides an excellent summary of the different groups of
carnivorous plants. It covers their basic biology, as well as their
ecology and natural history. Not too much on cultivation however.
Excellent electron micrographs of trap structures and discussions of how
the various types of traps work. Good discussions of the symbiotic
associations between various cp species and their inhabitants such as
midges and mosquitoes in pitchers. The bibliography at the back is
invaluable for anyone interested in research involving cps, although it is
already a bit dated. Pretty good introduction to cp evolution.

Liane Cochran-Stafira
Department of Ecology and Evolution
University of Chicago