This is the third and final
volume of the series 'Malesian Seed Plants'. It contains the "portraits"
of 124 non-tree families, i.e. families which are mainly herbaceous, climbing,
shrubby, or trees with a stem diameter at breast height of less than 10 cm or
a height of less than 10 m.
Users of the present book are referred to Volume 1 (1997) for an explanation
of the historical background of the series and a survey of spot-characters,
and to Volume 2 (1998) for a glossary of terms and instructions on how to use
the 'portraits'.
In principle, in the 'portraits' only those families represented by native species
are treated, but a few families with naturalised species are included also,
such as the Cactaceae. Other families with introduced species which never occur
in the wild are left out, e.g. Caricaceae.
After publication of Volume 1 so many new spot-characters have been recorded
that the author decided to include in the present volume two chapters: 'Additional
spot-characters (to Volume 1) and 'New spot-characters'.
