Orchids of Vanuatu
By B. Lewis & P. Cribb – (1989)
171 pages, matt art paper, with 48 colour photographs, 35 illustrations, 3 maps & 3 tables.
Soft Cover. 24.3cm x 15.5cm.
ISBN: 0-947643-16-8
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Richmond, Surrey, UK.
This book is part of a series published by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on the orchid flora of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. It is a preliminary work as the islands of the area were still not completely studied and known.
The book covers 158 species in 69 genera, opening with a key to the genera followed by descriptions of the genera and species. Each genus is briefly described including notes on distribution and species numbers. Each species has its scientific name, author, where published and type location, synonymous names, a physical description, distribution, habitat, collector and any miscellaneous notes on various other observations etc.
A seemingly broad view of the species may have been adopted judging by the list of some of the synonymous names under Dendrobium and Calanthe. C. triplicata for example we now know is a complex alliance of numerous species and not one widely distributed variable species. This indicates that there is/was probably still a lot more work and study to be done.
Although this book was published some time ago, it is still the only attempt at a comprehensive account of Vanuatu’s orchid flora (and no doubt should be used in conjunction with the other two titles in this series). This book is user friendly in its layout and although probably incomplete as indicated by the authors, it is still quite useful and contains descriptions of numerous interesting entities which are also illustrated such asMediocalcar paradoxum, Cleisostoma pacifica, Robiquetia bertholdii, Bulbophyllum streptosepalum and Sarcanthopsis nagarensis among numerous others. A brief history of the region and its plant collectors, forest types, climate and parent rock material are also provided.
Rod Rice
Principal Reviewer
Nature & Travel Books