Evolution and Ecology of Palms

Andrew Henderson has written the first truly comprehensive analysis of palm tree evolution and ecology. Palms are among the most abundant, diverse, and economically important families of plants in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Their number and diversity in the tropics make them an important part of the ecosystem. Their morphology is intriguing: they have woody stems but are considered neither trees nor herbaceous plants. In this work, Henderson investigates the evolution and ecology of the palm family by analyzing the relevant literature and data, and integrates the information into a cohesive whole.