Flora of the Indian Desert

AUTHOR: Professor M. M. Bhandari
PUBLISHER: MPS Repros
YEAR: 1978 - First Edition, 1990 – Revised Edition
PAGES: 435, 136 figures, 114 colour photographs
SIZE: 18 X 24.5 X 2.5 cm.
BINDING: Hard
LANGUAGE: English

ABOUT THE BOOK: The second revised edition has basically retained its original frame and format, but some 70 species, which have been collected either by the author or by others, since the book was first published, have been incorporated in this edition. Well received by those for whom it was meant, the first edition was sold but within a short time and a persistent demand for the book, has necessitated its republication in the new format. All the previous half-tone illustrations have been redrawn and improved upon. The addition of coloured plates of nearly 100 plants arid vegetation is an additional feature of this new edition.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. M. M. Bhandari. Emeritus Professor of Botany, basically a plant taxonomist and a well known desert systematize has been actively engaged in the study of Desert Plants. Travelled widely in the Indian Desert, Dr. Bhandari has studied their floristics, palynology. ethnobotany and ecology for nearly forty years now. The results of his investigations have been appearing prolifically in prestigious Indian and foreign journals. Associated with a number of International Organizations and Commissions related to Desert Development, Biosphere Reserves, Man and Biosphere Programmes and Species Survival Commission, Dr. Bhandari was the leader of a delegation to USSR to prepare a common INDO-USSR bilateral research programme on desertification and has, therefore, played a key role in the formulation, planning and finalization of numerous projects on desert ecosystem. He is a member of several scientific-societies in India and is on the editorial board of three scientific journals. Worked in a number of Herbaria in India, Dr. Bhandari has travelled extensively and visited almost all the leading continental, British and middle-east Herbaria where he was invited as a visiting Professor and also participated in a number of national and international symposia. He has written five books and has been a recipient of national award.
A committed conservationist, Dr. Bhandari has been associated with several multidisciplinary environmental impact studies both for resource utilization and industrial development and is on the consultancy panel of a number of organizations and institutions. A fellow of Linnean Society of London. Dr. Bhandari has become a very well-known authority on desert plants not only in India but also in many other countries of the world. He has prepared several Video Films on Desert Plants. Places and People and has been awarded for the same

CONTENTS:
1. The climatic and topographical features of the Indian Desert
2. Phytogeographical analysis of the Flora
3. Biotic factors.
4. General aspects of the vegetation
5. Synopsis of the Indigeneous Flora
6. Keys for identification of families, genera and species
7. Notes on distribution & bibliographical information.
8. Many species illustrated m lines drawings
9. References given for accepted names and synonyms
10. More than hundred coloured photographs.
11. The Flora is based on most taxonomic research on the Flora on the Indian Desert
12. Systematic enumeration of Taxa
13. Tradition uses & Medicinal Properties of selected plants

Reviews:
“This is the latest in high caliber local Flora to appear from the hands of a teacher of Botany at an Indian University... The treatment is thorough... synonymy is extensive and carefully spelled out... a very careful, modern work, full of original research, and drawn to high standards... recommended for anyone concerned with old World deserts”....

- Dan H. Nicolson in Taxon

“Dr. Bhandari's Flora is an excellent effort and is, therefore, most welcome... Dr. Bhandari has done a good job and placed taxonomists greatly in debt”

- M. B. Raizada in Indian Forester

“Hearty congratulations on a work that is well done.”

- Cecil J. Saldanha

“The Flora of the Indian Desert is a salient result of hard field work as well as critical comparative studies of Herbaria and the literature, and represents a welcome addition to our knowledge of arid zone Flora.”

- Jana Kosinova, University of Prague

“The Flora has the character of critical analytical treatment... The book will surely be a definitive work on the Flora of the Indian Desert... one can only express his gratitude to the author in doing such a good job...

- H. S. Mann in Annals of Arid Zone

“Let me first of all complement you on producing a fine desert Flora, the type of which we never had in India...

- S. S. Bir, Patiala