Poaceae, Pt.1: Parte General y Panicoideae. 2012. (Flora de la Republica de Cuba, Series A, Volume 17:1-2). 252 coloured plates. XVI, 912 p. gr8vo. Hardcover. (978-3-905997-03-3)

In recent times there have been many books toillustrate in color the w3orlds plant diversity. Theymostly present showy flowers such as ornamentals,orchids in particular. The idea of devoting an entirevolume of pictures to humble grasses is novel.Grasses are among the most important families forhuman kind, and knowing them is of considerablepractical value. However, they are reputed to behard to identify, all looking the same. This is not apopular book but part of an important nationalFlora of high scientific standing. The panicoid grassesdealt with in the accompanying text volume (withdescriptions, keys, full synonymies, distribution mapsand other important data, as usual) are thefamilys largest and most difficult group, accountingfor more than half of Cubas Poaceae species:266 in total. Some are endemic to Cuba, but over 80are of foreign origin and naturalized, often importantas forage grasses and/or noxious weeds. All nativeand naturalized taxa, 250 in total, are representedphotographically, each on two facing pages showingthe general habit (representative herbariumspecimens, mostly Cuban, often types) and at leastone close-up of a spikelet or spikelet group,shown under a stereo-microscope equipped withextended focus imaging (a novel technique thatallows merging images taken at various focal levelsinto a single picture). They are an idealcomplement to the keys and descriptions of thetext, convenient for consultation side by side astext and illustrations are separately bound.