Wilhelm Barthlott Boeken

Plants that trap and eat an amazing phenomenon that has inspired awe since before the days of Darwin. The victims may be flies and butterflies, small crustaceans, or even vertebrates the size of rats. Lured into the danger zone by optical, tactile, and olfactory strategies, the prey succumb to ingenious traps and face their doom. But unlike plants that temporarily catch insects for pollination, the true carnivores go considerably they digest them for the nutrients they need to survive in extremely inhospitable sites on land and in water. Anyone captivated by the unearthly beauty of the "flowers of evil" will treasure this stunning, encyclopedic exploration, which also includes animal-trapping mosses and fungi, as well as advice for growing and buying carnivorous plants and an extensive international bilbliography. It is an essential reference for hobbyist, naturalist, and collector alike.

The Orchidaceae, with approximately 22,000 species, ranks among the largest plant families. Despite extensive literature, knowledge about orchid seeds remains limited; they are typically characterized as small, wind-dispersed "dust seeds." This monograph analyzes around 1,400 collections of orchid seeds using SEM and other methods over four decades, evaluating about 7,000 micrographs from 1,100 species across 352 genera. The findings reveal remarkable diversity in seed size (ranging from 0.1 mm in Oberonia to 6 mm in Epidendrum) and shape, as well as intricate seed-coat architecture and surface sculpturing. A consistent terminology for seed-coat characteristics is proposed, with subtribal to tribal taxa often well-defined by these traits. Fifteen selected characters were mapped onto robust molecular phylogenetic trees, showing alignment with major clades. Combinations of these characters, categorized into 17 seed types, frequently distinguish tribes such as Cymbidieae and Epidendreae. Unique features, like polyembryony (up to 12 embryos per seed in Thecostele) and specialized seed-coat adaptations for dispersal (e.g., in Galeola), are limited to a few genera. This work includes an atlas with 624 micrographs and provides essential data for identifying major orchid seed groups, along with a terminology for taxonomic use. The character reconstruction based on modern phylogenetic hypotheses supports further systematic studies of t

Biodiversity, often seen as "diversity of species," is a vital aspect of life on Earth, whose significance has only recently been fully acknowledged. It is recognized as a "global asset of incalculable value to present and future generations" (Kofi Annan). The distribution of biodiversity is uneven, with the majority of biological resources concentrated in developing countries within the tropics and subtropics. This disparity led to the title of an international conference held in Bonn in 1997, focusing on biodiversity as a challenge for development research and policy. This event marked one of the first major initiatives by the North-South Centre for Development Research (ZEF) at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, established in 1995 to enhance international cooperation and dialogue. The ZEF emerged from the Bonn Berlin agreement of July 1994, aimed at mitigating the impact of the Parliament and Government's relocation to Berlin. This initiative aligns with the strategy to bolster Bonn's status as a hub for international science and development policy, fostering collaboration among national and supranational agencies addressing these critical issues.

L'existence de plantes qui capturent des animaux et les mangent paraît presque invraisemblable. Lorsqu'à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, on informe pour la première fois le botaniste Cari von Linné d'une observation étonnante, celle d'une dionée en train de capturer une mouche, il juge ce cas " contre les lois de la nature établies selon la volonté divine ". Près d'un siècle plus tard, en 1875, Charles Darwin prouve scientifiquement l'existence des "plantes carnivores ". Aujourd'hui, quelque 680 espèces de plantes carnivores sont connues... et les recherches continuent. Régulièrement, de nouvelles espèces sont découvertes, mais aussi des capacités inattendues chez les végétaux, comme la capture d'animaux par une mousse. Les plantes carnivores, ces " fleurs du mal ", nous réservent encore bien des surprises. Très complet et intégrant les découvertes les plus récentes, l'ouvrage comporte deux grandes parties : l'une présente les connaissances sur la biologie, l'écologie, l'évolution ou encore la culture des plantes carnivores ; l'autre partie est consacrée à la description des grandes familles de plantes carnivores. Chaque famille fait l'objet d'une fiche, illustrée de photos et dessins, où sont décrites ses principales caractéristiques, ses espèces emblématiques et où sont donnés quelques conseils pratiques de culture.

Die Natur hat im Laufe der Jahrmillionen währenden Evolution faszinierende Gestalten hervorgebracht. Zweifelsohne gehören dazu auch jene Pflanzen, die Tiere fangen und verdauen – die Karnivoren. Sie resorbieren die Nährstoffe aus ihren Beutetieren, wozu neben Insekten auch Kleinkrebse, kleine Wirbeltiere und Spinnen gehören. Auf diese Weise gleichen sie den extremen Nährstoffmangel aus, der die Böden ihres Lebensraumes kennzeichnet. Das Autorenteam um Prof. Barthlott beschäftigt sich schon seit Jahren mit der Erforschung dieser faszinierenden Pflanzen. Neben der Botanik und der Ökologie wird der Aufzucht und Pflege der Karnivoren in diesem Buch viel Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. Die wichtigsten fleischfressenden Arten aus aller Welt werden ausführlich vorgestellt. Sie erhalten mit diesem Buch einen Einblick in den wissenschaftlichen Stand der Erforschung dieser ungewöhnlichen Pflanzengruppe, die eine wachsende Anzahl von Pflanzenliebhabern fasziniert.