Encyclopedia of Conifers

Encyclopedia of Conifers

Cover of Encyclopedia of Conifers Volume I, Volume II
Author Aris G. Auders, Derek P. Spicer
Language English
Genre Encyclopedia
Publisher Royal Horticultural Society in cooperation with Kingsblue Publishing Limited
Publication date
 Early 2012
Media type Print (Hardcover)
Pages 1,500
ISBN 978-1-907057-15-1

Encyclopedia of Conifers. A Comprehensive Guide to Conifer Cultivars and Species is an encyclopedia written by Aris G. Auders and Derek P. Spicer, published in 2012. The two-volume, extensively illustrated encyclopedia is a complete reference book covering all recognised conifer cultivars and species, both hardy and tropical. The 1,500-page work features names, synonyms, and brief descriptions, as well as information about height and spread after 10 years, where known, for over 8,000 cultivars and all 615 conifer species, plus their subspecies and varieties. Apart from the descriptive text, it is illustrated with more than 5,000 photographs, which have been taken especially for this encyclopedia.

Concept and creation

Background

Conifer [Lat.,=cone-bearing] is a tree or shrub of the order Coniferales, e.g., the pine, monkey-puzzle tree, cypress, and sequoia. Most conifers bear cones and most are evergreens, though a few, such as the larch, are deciduous. Conifers are widely distributed over the world but are mostly found in the highlands of temperate regions. The conifers, the ginkgoes, and the cycads comprise the three most important groups of gymnosperms, i.e., plants without true flowers. Conifers are classified in the division Pinophyta, class Pinopsida.[1] Some are the Earth's largest plants, reaching heights up to 99 m (325 ft). They are a major natural resource of the Northern Hemisphere.[2]

Encyclopedia of Conifers consists of two volumes. First volume covers conifer genus as Abies, Acmopyle, Actinostrobus, Afrocarpus, Agathis, Amentotaxus, Araucaria, Athrotaxis, Austrocedrus, Austrotaxus, Callitris, Calocedrus, Cathaya, Cedrus, Cephalotaxus, Chamaecyparis, Cryptomeria, Cunninghamia, Cupressus, Cuprocyparis, Dacrycarpus, Dacrydium, Diselma, Falcatifolium, Fitzroya, Fokienia, Ginkgo, Glyptostrobus, Halocarpus, Keteleeria, Lagarostobos, Lepidothamnus, Libocedrus, Manoao, Juniperus, Larix, Metasequoia, Microbiota, Microcachrys, Microstrobos, Nageia, Neocallitropsis, Nothotsuga, Papuacedrus, Parasitaxus, Pherosphaera, Phyllocladus, Picea.

Second volume covers conifer genus as Pilgerodendron, Pinus, Platycladus, Podocarpus, Prumnopitys, Pseudolarix, Pseudotaxus, Pseudotsuga, Retrophyllum, Saxegothaea, Sciadopitys, Sequoia, Sequoiadendron, Sundacarpus, Taiwania, Taxodium, Taxus, Tertraclinis, Thuja, Thujopsis, Torreya, Tsuga, Widdringtonia, Wollemia, Xanthocyparis.

Publication history

The Encyclopedia of Conifers was written by Aris G. Auders, a conifer collector and photographer from Latvia, and Derek P. Spicer, Chairman of the British Conifer Society. The authors have been assisted by Lawrie Springate, RHS International Conifer Cultivar Registrar (2004–2009) and Victoria Matthews, RHS International Registrar. The publisher is Kingsblue Publishing Limited.

Auders and Spicer have been working on this book for 7 years.

Illustration and design

Photography by the authors shows the general appearance of the plants, and in many cases detail special features. Many were photographed in summer and winter to show colour and texture changes through the seasons.[3]

References

  1. ↑ ""conifer." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com.". Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  2. ↑ ""conifer." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com.". Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  3. ↑ "Book Preview: Encyclopedia of Conifers.". Retrieved 2011-09-11.

External links


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