Cover Photo: Castilleja coccinea
by Carol Gracie.
From: TAXON 2010 vol. 59 page 1313 by Rudolf Schmid:
From: Blumea 2010 vol. 55 pp 102-103:
Heide-Jørgensen HS. 2008 Parasitic flowering plants. xiv +
438 pp., 495 colour illustrations. Brill, Leiden. ISBN 978-90-
04167-50-6. EUR 99; USD 147.
This is a beautifully illustrated book presenting an overview of the
whole variety of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic taxa
of flowering plants. It provides a clear introduction to the phenomenon
of botanical parasitism, the different types, and
some anatomical characteristics. Some interesting look alikes are mentioned,
especially myco-heterotrophic plants, but also
climbers, stranglers and carnivores.
---The second and largest chapter is devoted
to the hemiparasitic Santalales, followed by a much smaller chapter on
hemiparasites in families other than Santalales. The fourth chapter treats
the holoparasitic families. The 3 taxonomic chapters
are arranged to families and for each family in varying detail are treated
the morphological and taxonomic diversity, special
anatomical features, geographic and ecological distribution, and various
biological aspects like pollination, embryology,
dispersal. It appears that in most of the families all species are parasitic,
overall 60 % being root parasites and 40 % stem
parasites.
---The hemiparasitic Santalales sum up to
a total of c.2 240 species in 8 families; the main families being Loranthaceae,
Viscaceae, Santalaceae, and to a lesser extent Olacaceae.The hemiparasites
in families other than Santalales count somewhat
less, c. 1 980 species in 4 families; by far the largest being Orobanchaceae.
The t holoparasitic families comprise c. 390
species; 3/4 belonging to Orobanchaceae.
---The last four chapters are describing
general aspects, i.e. the Establishment of the parasite, the Host ranges
and various
ecological aspects of parasitism, Harmful parasites and control methods,
and Ecology and evolution respectively. Regarding
the establishment, the main focus is on the haustorium, its development,
anatomy and functioning. A major topic in the
chapter on hosts and ecology is host specificity, the usual case for root
parasites being many hosts and a low degree of
host specificity, whereas stem parasites show a larger range from low
to high degrees. The potential harm of parasites is
described for agricultural crops and for woody plants (forests and orchards).
Only few species (mainly Cuscuta, Striga and
Orobanche) parasitize (a relatively broad array of) agricultural
plants, whereas members of Viscaceae and Loranthaceae are
present on woody economic plants.
---The last chapter is an interesting one,
treating some aspects of the evolution of the diversity of parasitic flowering
plants
(only one out of the c. 900 gymnosperms is (root) parasitic, endemic to
New Caledonia). Several hypotheses of the origin
of parasitism are discussed, all starting from the general idea that the
original condition is hemiparasltic root parasitism. A
detailed account is given on series of functional morphological and anatomical
features, with special attention for convergent
evolutionary trends. It is obvious that convergent evolution has to be
assumed as parasitism is represented in 11 orders,2 in
the magnoliid clade, one basal eudicot clade, 5 in the eurosid clade and
3 in the asteroid clade. The final paragraph is a plea
for increased protection measurements.
---All in all, this is a very informative
book, giving state of the art views. It is well recommended!
M.C. Roos
From: Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 2008 39:4 page 37:
Parasitic Flowering Plants
Henning S. Heide-Jørgensen
(2008) BrilI, Leiden, The Netherlands.
$148.00 (hbk)
ISBN 078-90-04-16750-6
This is one of those books that you idly pick up, flick through looking
at the gorgeous pictures, read snippets of information and before you
know it, you've missed the train home. The 400 odd pages cover every family
of parasitic plant known in the world and most of the genera, organised
systematically. The pictures are high quality and stunning, and the text
is designed to be approachable by anyone with a basic command of biology,
supplemented by a simple glossary at the back. It is crammed with interesting
bits of information such as a weighing up of the evidence for whether
the British toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) is carnivorous or not,
and if not why does it have mitochondrialrich epidermal glands? (These
glands appear to have much more to do with aiding transpiration and nutrient
movement in a plant that is underground most of the time.) Since the book
is so wide ranging, you won't find much information about your pet British
plant, but it does give some information (albeit eclectic and by no means
complete) on pretty much anything you´re likely to come across around
the world. To keep the text readable there are very few references quoted
in the text and just a short bibliography at the back. On the plus side,
the references suited to a general readership are highlighted. This is
not really a text that you would expect an undergraduate to use for an
essay but it is fascinating book that would make a good present for a
favourite young relative (and at the price they would have to be very
favoured) who has a developing interest in science. Or get it for the
School library; it has that important 'wow' factor.
Peter Thomas
From Gardens Bulletin Singapore 61: 305-306 (2010):
Heide-Jørgensen, H. S. 2008. Parasitic Flowering Plants. Brill
NV, Leiden. 438 pp., numerous color photographs.
ISBN 978 90 04 16750 6. Price: € 99/ US $147.
It is a pleasure to review such a beautiful book as this. The author
has clearly crafted a labor of love based on decades of study and research,
followed by years of efforts to write, design, and illustrate it. The
book brings together an enormous amounts of information about the biology,
physiology, taxonomy, life history, and systematics (classification) of
all flowering plants that are wholly or partly parasitic by nature. Their
global distribution is mapped by family, which is a very handy feature.
---In total the author estimates that there
are approximately 4,490 species of parasitic plants known, of which ca
4,100 species are hemiparasites (partly self-sustaining through
photosynthesis) and only 390 species are holoparasites (entirely
dependent on a host plant for survival). This total represents less than
1% of the estimated number of flowering plant species on earth. While
the book does not present any figures for how many species are covered,
an impressive diversity of them has been described and illustrated.
---Virtually every page of text is enlivened
by color photographs, most are of good to high quality, photomicrographs,
schematic diagrams, and line art. The list of photo acknowledgments extends
to 4 full pages; the amount of effort the author must have expended to
track down and obtain permission to use the hundreds of color images in
the book can scarcely be imagined. Only someone passionate about parasitic
plants could have seen through to the end the task of searching for, and
obtaining permission to use, so many fine color images, with such admirable
results. Readers interested to know more about a particular image will
find the full contact details provided for the photographers, a welcome
touch. I note, in passing, that among the photographers is Singaporean
Joseph T. K. Lai, and readers can expect to find photos in the book that
were taken in Singapore.
---Quibbles: there are a few. The running
head on every one of the 438 pages states the title of the book, Parasitic
Flowering Plants, but the reader has no idea in which of the 8 chapters
or 43 subchapters he/she is in on any of those pages. In an information-dense
and copiously illustrated tome such as this, finding one's way around
within the book can be tricky, especially given the number of cases where
illustrations cited in the text appear elsewhere in the book. It would
have been far more user-friendly to use the running heads to indicate
the chapters and subchapters to ease internal navigation.
---Like many books that are edited by the
author, there are some quirks and oddities of a very minor nature that
creep into the text. Another pair of eyes is always beneficial in catching
these little gremlins and removing them. For example, the state of New
Jersey (USA) has consistently been rendered as "New Yersey"
everywhere it occurs in text and photo captions. On the whole, however,
typos are remarkably few and the text reads very well.
---The price is off-putting: like most books
published by scientific and technical publishers the price tag will deter
many people from buying this magnificent book. It is to be hoped that
Brill will produce a soft cover edition at a more economical price. Libraries,
scientific institutes and the serious student of parasitic plants will
buy the hardcover edition but the general public probably will not, purely
for cost consideration. And that is a pity, because there is so much information
contained in the book that will fascinate, educate, and delight anyone
with an interest in the natural world. It is to be hoped that Singaporeans,
and others in Southeast Asia generally, will splurge and indulge themselves
by buying this book - it has much to offer. And all of the parasitic flowering
plants native in our part of the world - Rafflesia, Striga, Balanophora,
even a species of Lepionurus - are to be found within its covers,
which brings the information in this book very close to home.
---I can wholeheartedly offer my sincere
congratulations to the author and publisher for bringing this comprehensive
and beautiful work into existence; I believe it will be the standard of
excellence on the subject of parasitic plants for decades to come.
George Staples
Senior Researcher
The Herbarium
Singapore Botanic Gardens
From: Ecology, 90, 2009, pp 857-858:
A world of opportunists, the parasitic plants
Heide-Jørgensen, Henning S. 2008. Parasitic flowering plants.
Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands. xiv+438 p. $148.00.
ISBN: 978-90-04-16750-6 (acid-free paper).
Key words: haustoria; hemiparasitism; holoparasitism; host-parasite interactions; parasitic plants
All kingdoms of life from Archaebacteria to Animalia exhibit organisms
with a parasitic approach to living whereby they opportunistically acquire
resources from a host. Plants are no exception. Approximately one percent
of documented flowering plants, or 4500 plant species, distributed across
the globe are parasites. One of the first comprehensive books on parasitic
plants, Job Kujit's classic, The biology of parasitic flowering plants
(1969. University of California Press, Berkeley, California), is the inspiration
for Parasitic flowering plants. Since the publication of Kujit's book,
a number of texts have been written about weedy parasitic plants or particular
topics on parasitism in plants, such as anatomical structures. Parasitic
plants (Press, M. C., and J. D. Graves, editors. 1995. Chapman and Hall,
New York) is one of the few books written since Kujit's work that integrates
a wide body of knowledge about the basic biology of parasitic plants.
Press and Graves' edited book is written primarily from a technical standpoint
and addresses an audience of researchers and academics. Lacking from the
literature is a modern book on parasitic plants that is interesting to
researchers, yet accessible to everyday readers. In the preface of his
new book, Henning S. Heide-Jørgensen sets out to instill in both
novice and expert readers an appreciation for the world's parasitic plants.
By and large Heide-Jørgensen accomplishes this goal.
---Parasitic flowering plants begins with
the first of eight chapters by distinguishing parasitic plants from plants
that might be incorrectly considered parasitic such as epiphytes, mycoheterotrophs,
and carnivorous plants. Chapter 1 also distinguishes between stem vs.
root parasites and hemi- vs. holoparasites and briefly describes the anatomical
structure plants use to parasitize host plants, the haustorium. Then Heide-Jørgensen
launches into an overview of the twenty families of plants with parasitic
species. This overview consists of three chapters, comprising nearly three-quarters
of the book. Recent molecular studies have moved many parasitic plant
species into different families. Specifically, many species previously
in the Scrophulariaceae are now in the Orobanchaceae. This work provides
a timely synthesis of these recent taxonomic re-classifications. Throughout
these chapters considering taxonomy there are interesting tangents on
seed dispersal, pollination, and the cultural significance of parasitic
plants that maintain the reader's attention despite a bombardment of scientific
nomenclature.
---Following the taxonomic overview, the
remaining four chapters of the book focus on the physiology, ecology,
control, and evolution of parasitic plants. In my opinion, these are the
chapters that will most easily entice the broadest group of readers because
they provide the context for studying parasitic plants. Chapter 5 traces
parasitic plants from germination and host recognition to the formation
of the haustorium and the physiology of water relations. The large collections
of high-quality photographs taken by microscope that appear in this section
help the reader to visualize the establishment of the parasite on the
host. The next chapter considers the ecology of interactions between host
plants and non-host organisms such as pollinators, seed dispersers, and
herbivores. A description of vegetation types where parasitic plants occur
is also included. Chapter 7 identifies the relatively few, though heavily
studied, species of parasitic plants harmful to agriculture and forestry,
along with methods on their control. The final chapter unifies all the
ecological information on the various taxa from an evolutionary perspective.
The book closes with an acknowledgement of the need to conserve the world's
unique parasitic plants.
---Parasitic flowering plants has three primary
strengths. First, the book has over 495 color pictures and illustrations
(495 numbered Figs. but more than one thousand photographs
and graphics). These pictures both instill an appreciation for
the beauty of parasitic plants and reinforce the concepts that the book
presents. These pictures along with the text truly inspire a fascination
of the parasitic flowering plants of the world. Second, throughout the
text there are charming pieces of information on the cultural and medicinal
significances of parasitic plants. These anecdotes keep the reader interested
despite the somewhat repetitive descriptions of different families in
the taxonomic chapters. Third, the inclusion of a glossary of technical
terms that is referenced throughout the text provides definitions of technical
terms used. This glossary is especially instrumental in making the book
available to a broader audience.
---There are a few alterations that might
improve the book. First, the organization of the material in the book
may not grab the readers' attention and provide enough background in the
beginning. After a brief introduction to parasitic plants, the book focuses
for quite some time on taxonomy. Given that the purpose of the book is
to inspire an appreciation for parasitic plants in a wide group of people,
moving the last four chapters from the end to the front of the book would
provide more context to readers to ensure that they understand why parasitic
plants are so captivating. Second, the book needs better editing. At times
there are several misspelled words on a single page, or all of the symbols
given in a figure legend are not actually included in the figure. These
typographical errors tend to detract from the contents of the book. Third,
there are unfortunately no footnotes or within-text citations referencing
the selected literature at the end of the book to direct readers to further
information. In particular, when the book describes the modes of seed
dispersal for an entire genus, such as Pedicularis, it would be
helpful to know if such extensive research really has been done on all
of the species within the genus. Better documentation of references to
assert the facts presented would strengthen this work.
---Parasitic flowering plants fills a gap
in the literature by providing a comprehensive overview of parasitic plants
that is accessible to both researchers and everyday readers. On the whole,
Parasitic flowering plants accomplishes Heide-Jørgensen's goal
of instilling an appreciation for parasitic plants in a broad audience
through the book's plethora of colorful pictures, interesting anecdotes,
and synthesis of the large body of information on parasitic plants. This
work truly inspires an admiration for the diversity of forms and unique
ecology and evolution of this world of opportunists, the parasitic plants.
SYDNE RECORD
University of Massachusetts
Department of Biology
Amherst, Massachusetts 01035
From: The Flora of
Zimbabwe homepage (Go to Notes):
A Review of Parasitic flowering plants by Henning S. Heide-Jorgensen,
published by Brill, Leiden. XIV + 438 pp.
Parasitic and (hemiparasitic) plants are very much a feature, although
a relatively small one, of the Zimbabwean flora. One thinks immediately
of the mistletoes (Loranthaceae and Viscaceae), the crowded flowers of
Berlinianche aethiopica, usually to be found on Julbernardia
twigs and the broomrape, Orobanche minor, which we occasionally encounter
on our outings.
The lifestyles of these unusual plants are of extraordinary interest;
furthermore many such plants are brightly coloured and eye-catching and
it is therefore timely to come across a work dedicated to these extraordinary
organisms.
---As the author remarks in his preface,
the "book can be read without special botanical background knowledge"
and indeed in the first Chapter, Introduction, the reader is gently and
logically introduced to the basic concepts. Initially, the author clears
the decks by discussing exactly what is a parasitic plant. Parasitic look-alikes
such as epiphytic species, which merely grow on other living things but
without extracting sustenance, are discussed. Examples of these are epiphytic
orchids, strangler figs and plants such as Virginia creepers and ivies
with their specialist 'holdfasts'. Other special groups such as the myco-heterotrophic
species (formerly known as saprophytic plants) and carnivorous plants,
which might be thought to be parasitic, are also defined and differentiated.
---Parasites are classified into 4 main groups
depending on whether they are hemiparasitic or holoparasitic and whether
they are root or stem parasites. Parasites form approximately 1% of the
world's flora by number and the great majority of those (c. 90%) are hemiparasites.
Interestingly, all parasites are dicotyledons, with the exception of the
controversial gymnosperm, Parasitaxus usta, which is discussed at length.
---In Chapters 2 and 3, Dr Heide-Jorgensen
discusses the main hemiparasitic families. The holoparasites, which lack
chlorophyll, and which are perhaps the most extraordinary-looking species,
are treated in Chapter 4.
---In Chapters 5, 6 and 7, more general aspects
of these plants are discussed, namely how parasites are established (Chapter
5), the relationship between host and parasite (Chapter 6), harmful parasites
and their control (Chapter 7) and the ecology and evolution of parasitic
plants (Chapter 8). The last chapter ends with a discussion on conservation
and the threats to these plants in the wild.
---The cover of the book shows an striking
North American species, Castilleja coccinea, on a black background. A
particular feature of the book, in my opinion, is the large number of
excellent photographs, which illustrate and elaborate on the themes being
presented.
---I have no hesitation in recommending this
sumptuously-produced book.
On a more practical level, a number of errors have been discovered following
publication and these are listed, together with their correct versions,
on the Web at:
http://www.viscum.dk/abstracts/text/abstract_59.htm
Mark Hyde
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
From: CASTANEA Vol. 74 pp. 89-90 (2009):
Heide-Jorgensen, Henning S. 2008. Parasitic Flowering Plants. Brill,
Leiden, The Netherlands.
438 p. Hardcover. Color illustrations. $148.00 (99 Euros). ISBN 978 90
04 16750 6.
This profusely illustrated book is a worthy successor to Job Kuijt's
seminal Parasitic Flowering Plants, published in 1969 and widely acknowledged
as the beginning of modern research on parasitic vascular plants. So it
is fitting that this volume should be dedicated, in part, to Job Kuijt
and share the same title as his book.
---Like its worthy predecessor, Heide-Jorgensen's
volume covers most areas of these plants' biology. The review of earlier
parasitic plant research is short, and the classic work of Chatin is not
referenced. Reflecting the author's earlier work on anatomy, the structure
of the haustorium is well described with excellent micrographs as well
as helpful interpretive diagrams (but see below). The section on Parasitaxus
usta, based on the careful work of Feild, will help to finally clarify
the nutritional relationships of this mycotroph, which lives in close
association with its fungal component and another gymnosperm, Falcatifolium
taxoides. For many years most researchers, including myself, considered
it the only parasitic gymnosperm, so it is stunning to think of its habit
being closer to Monotropa than a mistletoe.
---The bulk of the book is a survey of the
families and the majority of the genera of parasitic plants. Each genus
treatment covers the taxonomy, distribution, floral biology, and a large
amount of other up-to date data. The taxonomic hierarchy includes phylogeny
of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group current at the time of writing. Thus,
Rafflesiaceae, for example, no longer includes Pilostyles and other
groups. The parasitic Scrophulariaceae are placed in the Orobanchaceae
(though at least once referred to as parasitic scrophs). Many other groups
are realigned. Unfortunately, recent research on the phylogeny and taxonomy
of Santalalean groups is missing. Reflecting recent research, there is
a section on the role of parasitic plants in their respective ecosystems
as well as a chapter on crop parasites. All of these treatments have copious
full color illustrations taken by parasitic plant researchers throughout
the world. Many have already appeared on the award winning Parasitic Plant
Connection web site (http://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/)
---Going through this book is like seeing
a favourite black and white movie in color as so much of the work reviewed
here was first published in black and white. Among these are the careful
investigations of the parasitism of Exocarpus by Fineran, numerous
studies by Kuijt, and many others. So much information has been garnered
and presented in color for the first time.
The quality of the color images deserves note. I have seen many of the
plants in the field and therefore am pleased at the accuracy of the color
reproduction. Kudos to the publisher for such wonderful color! This is
one of the few books where there may actually be too many images; some
genera are illustrated more than once.
---While attempts are made to make the book
accessible to the non-specialist, in reality this is a book for botanists.
Including a sidebar box to explain the plant cuticle and a box for photosynthesis
do little for the non-biologist. The average naturalist is going to be
like the average general biology freshman looking at corn stems in cross
section-bored or confused. Asterisks by such words as ''endemic'' that
lead the reader to the glossary are a distraction. The book is such a
sumptuous presentation of the wonderful form, color, and charm of these
plants that a non-botanist can feast on it but find the text unappetizing.
---On the other hand, the professional botanist
who might want this as a source for literature references will be sorely
disappointed. For reasons not clear, the literature cited section is truncated
and uneven. There are numerous references, for example, to Heide-Jorgensen's
work and that of Fineran but not a single citation for De Pamphilis or
Nickrent who have both contributed so much to our understanding of evolution
and phylogeny of parasitic plants. Many other examples could be noted.
It is unfortunate that such a volume was not more carefully edited. There
are numerous spelling errors (Californica for California, New Yersey for
New Jersey), grammatical errors (agreement of subject and verb), and syntactical
errors. This is an expensive book at 99 Euros but reasonable considering
the hundreds of full color pictures.
---To many of us, Kuijt's classic cannot
be improved even though it is almost forty years old and has only black
and white illustrations; the heuristic value of his work has proven remarkable
over the decades. I wish the same for Heide-Jorgensen's book, which will
be required reading for every parasitic plant worker. It should also be
in every college or university library as the most up to date treatment
of this most intriguing group of plants.
Lytton John Musselman, Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion
University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529.
An almost identical review was published in Haustorium 53 p. 9-10 (2008)
and the authors' comments below cover both reviews
The review above is positive for which I am grateful.
Nonetheless, I have some comments:
---The title of Job Kuijt's book published
in 1969 is 'The biology of parasitic flowering plants'; hence the two
titles are not identical.
---The note on Parasitaxus usta saying
'it is stunning to think of its habit being closer to Monotropa
than a mistletoe' should be read with caution. The three-part relationship
between Parasitaxus, Falcatifolium, and a fungal mycelium
occurs within the same physical frame set by Falcatifolium, while
Monotropa and other recognized mycotrophs earlier known as saprophytes
have no direct physical contact to the autotrophic plants they are dependent
on and connected to via a fungal mycelium. Parasitaxus really seems
to be something special with no known clear parallels in other taxa.
---The introduction to chapter 2 'Hemiparasitic
Santalales' explains why I am taking a moderate, conservative view on
plant classification in Santalales and I do not think a semi-popular book
is the right place to fill with a variety of phylogenetic trees and boot-strap
considerations for all taxa. However, the erection of Schoepfiaceae is
recognized in the book as well as several genera have been removed from
Olacaceae. Further spitting up of Santalalean families was not confirmed
when the manuscript was submitted, but a note on page 96 states it may
well be that molecular biologists in the near future will split the family
(Santalaceae) into several minor families.
---It was never the idea to provide a full
coverage of the history of research in parasites. If so, many other than
Chatin should be mentioned. Although Chatin's work 'Anatomie comparée
des végétaux. Plantes parasites' published 1892 is comprehensive,
I do not think it is of interest to the general reader.
---I would leave to the non-botanist to evaluate
if the asterisks referring to the glossary and the sidebar boxes are of
any use or not. Other reviewers on this page take the opposite view of
Musselman.
---Musselman complains about the Literature
List being truncated and uneven, but in the book, I made it clear it is
a selected list consisting of references mentioned in text and Figure
legends plus a few extras. I also think it is reasonably clear from the
preface that the book is not a scientific book but aimed at a wider audience
than botanists, so a complete list of references cannot be expected. Most
of the references are listed in demand from the publishers for permissions
to use Figures and this includes my own papers.
---It is overlooked that Nickrents' website
is included in the list and mentioned as a comprehensive WEB-site on parasitic
plants. However, since I was not allowed to use any illustrations originating
from his laboratory there was no basis for including further references.
---I fully agree my English could be improved
and I deeply regret that proofreading in this case had to be cancelled
before publication. As compensation, an updated Corrigenda list is available
at http://www.viscum.dk/abstracts/text/abstract_59.htm
---I have twice asked Lytton Musselman as
the editor of the newsletter 'Haustorium' published by the International
Parasitic Plant Society to make a note on the existence of the Corrigenda
page, but he seems to have forgotten the promise.
---In the 'Haustorium' review, the Ogyris
example is not a misspelling for Osyris. Ogyris is a butterfly.
My sirname is spelled with a Danish ø, Heide-Jørgensen.
Positive recommendation of the book is also given by Joe Lai (Joseph
Lai Tuck Kwong) at:
http://flyingfishfriends.blogspot.com/search/label/parasitic%20flowering%20plants
Go to: Parasitic flowering plants
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Updated
Nov. 2010