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220 BLUMEA Vol. 38, No. 1, 1993 Review B.A. ROBERTS & J. PROCTOR (Eds.): TheEcology of Areas with Serpentinized Rocks. A World View. Geobotany 17(Series editor M.J.A. WERGER), Kluwer AcademicPublishers, 1992.427 pp., several photographs. ISBN0-792-30922-7. PriceDfl. 350.00(hardcover). Therecent surgeofinterestin plants growing over serpentine isreflected in a spateofpapersonthe subject, somuchsothatitis difficulttokeep trackofwhathas beenpublished. Thepresent volumeis anattemptinthatdirection.Botheditors can gloryinalongcareerofresearch onserpentine plants. The termserpentineisoftenusedtodenoteawiderangeofultramaficrocks which are characterizedby high concentrationsoftoxicheavy metals(Cr, Co, Ni),highFe and Mg and lowCa and Si concentrations.The vegetation growing on serpentine often shows astriking contrast with surrounding vegetations on differentsoils. The stature is mostly low, xeromorphic structures prevail andfloristicdiversityis usually low, although endemismmaybequitehigh. The book consistsofanumberofsections, thefirst two areofa general nature: anintroductorychapter bythetwoeditorsandachapter onthegeology ofserpentin- izedrocks by J. MALPAS.Thisis followedby aseries ofregional discussions. Sec- tionIB dealswithNorthAmericaand containsapaperby A. KRUCKEBERG onwest- em NorthAmericanultramafics. Section IV containsfourpaperson Europe. Section V covers the Far East (including New Caledonia) and Japan. JOHN PROCTOR dis- cusses whatisknown abouttheultramaficvegetation ofNewCaledonia(by farthe best documented), NewGuinea, the Solomons, Sulawesi, Talaud, Sabahand the Philippines andpoints outthewiderangeofvegetation typesthatcan befoundinthe region, varying fromlowstunted shrubberiestospecies-rich tall rainforest.Section VI contains two papersonAfricaandSectionVIIcovers Australasiawith paperson WestAustraliaandNewZealand. In the regional treatment Imissed Southand Central America. Apart from this omission, theeditorsaretobecomplimented onbringing togethermuchscatteredin- formationin a handsome, albeitratherexpensive, volume.The study on serpentine plant ecology hasabearing onpollution problems caused by mineralwaste andas suchhaspractical implications. M.M.J. van Balgooy
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