The Cast Iron Forest: A Natural and Cultural History of the North American Cross Timbers by Richard V. Francaviglia

2 Pages·2000·1.4 MB·English

by  Review By: Roger W Sanders

9
BOOK
REVIEWS
The A
Richard V.Francavigl a 2000 Cast Iron Forest: Natural and Cultural History of the
North American
Cross Timbers.
(ISBN 0-292-72515-9,hbk.;0-292-725l6-7,pbk.).
Univ.ofTexas Press,RO.Box 781 9,Austin,TX 7871 3-781 2-471
U.S.A -4032). $45.00
(51
r
b&w
hbk., 24.95 pbk. 269 5 color and 52 photos, 8 maps, 2 drawings,
pp., line
1 1
6" x 9".
gion.as having m mo
a ut n in h n tu tho than
lift nt.
it i i ! i > i ,\ it t
including the author. While iho book an liveanah map Hum
obj< illusion
is el
il i, i
notni< statistics, and census record many pa i, mi n n nal fascination with
il
i
ihm
the Cross Timbers
Mi li ii ilii ,r rl nrersity of Texas at Ar-
I i t ,| I
mnl Cmr
many
lington. Like pro* nth n hi en nourished by Texas
in it h- h<
I i I i
now
pride and finds that his roots have grown deep into the Cross Timbers sandy
clay.
u
Francaviglia begins th kbycicv iih con o from
pt In pei
e.
I I >| it I i i
spectives:"The Cross Timbers... are a forested archipelago largely surrounded by a sea of prairie.
Centered roughly n nl n nlio qetation comprises
lit in
t I > tl t
r I i
generally north-south trending holts of scrubby oak trees." Next, "...the Cross Timbers typically
appears as dense stands of post oak and blackjack oak trees that rarely exceed about thirty feet
in
im ofWaco
1 nil i" hiu n nth along
'i
<
i
'• I'-ll O'i ].|
Theb
tinOS
|:
ihor ,ninihi mind.nl M
oi Llj| Ih, hi urn is ,n, in h in
( i.
> i , I
I
and Anglo and and
explorers, settlers farmers, Imally the <ontemporary urbanites.This the rea
is
strength of the book and
a significant contribution to the non-technical literature. so doing
In
Francaviglia is able to trace the perceptions through 5- and 0-year intervals. Use of these histonca
1
it.i ii. e, hi ih nt. ion- n h\ hi hiu, eie oi weie not add. d to map
I i ii I | i t it , - ii ti 1
i
ami diaries, and leader, will want to keep lliat in mind. However his nueipretations appear to be
ni it le in it nil nl in "ie argument that pre
i 1 i I i i I ii ,1 . i I ; I i
As a reader not inteiosted so muc h in the histonca aspects, bogged down in some of the
I
hum m
the author appeal
fact, hit n the details and intro-
• i ,
The
a
and increasing con servation awareness Even regional literary work'
,
One the chapter,
reviewed. of thi >k in last
is,
of the topics covere:d and a six-page sunnmary of the author's interpre
?
W. Woodland. 2000. Contemporary Plant Systematics,Third edition. -883925-
Dennis
(1
Andrews Information Services Berrien Springs,
25-8,hbk.). University Press,21 3 Bldg.,
6-471-61 http://www.andrews.edu/press) $64.99 hbk.
Ml 491 04-1 700, U.S.A (61 34,
b&w CD images
560 numerous photos and drawings, of over 4,700 color
line
pp.,
needs
Contemporary Plant Systematics flows from Woodland's teaching experience to the of his
fill
own students. His goal in writing a text is to provide"a well-illustrated, broad-view, beginning text
h
may understand-
that would give the students, wherever they live h nt botanical
I , i
some ways
would the changing world of global information."
ing of vascular plants that utilize In
he has succeeded and others he has not.
in
The book divided roughly into three portions. Printed page tabs, which mark the chapters
is
and other divisions, are a helpful innovation. The first four chapters cover an introduction of sys-
second section chapters) by far the largest. encompasses an extensive survey of pterido-
(5 is It
and terms.The chapters cover more advanced topics: history of the
special characteristics last six
m
conservation
vascular plant groups;a survey of morphological, ch> n n issues;
-
I I
and the role of botanical gardens.
on
The and portion chapters) thorough, but the other chapters
identification (early
field is
covered one page and one diagram.
iple,speciation in
is
Likewise,in the discussion of phenetic and
dendrograms and cladograms
are
illustrat
and
An appendix with simple four-taxon prot)lems, mathematical algorithms, character distance
ae very helpful.
Woodland be congratulated
to fo
is
mu
emtio nun
loptc din.i.i, n
hi, ill tin.
- i i , i
ing of organisms. Conservation rarely addressed by texts in plant systematics but is an endeavor
is
m
that systematists ate mi In during their careers. His survey of botanical gardens is a
l~
il r i i r it i
nice addition, but many instructors woul d rather exchange this information for more detail on
on anatomy, on morphology,
Lersten plant Rolf Sattler
Loren Rieseberg on molecular systematic Crompton on palynology, Peter Holland on ecol-
Cliff
s,