Evolution by D. J.

Futuyma

Author: Applequist, Wendy L.

Source: Systematic Botany, 31(2) : 441
Published By: The American Society of Plant Taxonomists
URL: https://doi.org/10.1600/036364406777585711

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 Systematic Botany (2006), 31(2): p. 441
䉷 Copyright 2006 by the American Society of Plant Taxonomists

Book Review
Evolution by D. J. Futuyma. 2005. 603 pp. ISBN 0-87893-187-2. The present work is only 603 pages long, including 58 pages of
$89.95 (hbk). Sinauer Associates, PO Box 407, Sunderland, MA glossary, literature cited, and index, whereas Futuyma (1998) is
01375-0407. 763 pages long, excluding the glossary, literature cited, and index.
Together with the fact that the outer margins (save for figures and
figure captions) are now much broader, a considerable amount of
Futuyma’s new textbook, Evolution, is a pared-down version of
text has been removed, including introductory chapters on genet-
his classic Evolutionary Biology (Futuyma 1998) and, according to
ics, ecology, and evolving (animal) lineages in the fossil record. A
the author’s preface and an accompanying letter, is intended ex-
chapter on human evolution has been broken up and scattered
clusively for undergraduates. This does not indicate that it has
throughout the book, with some interesting material now exclud-
been entirely dumbed down; a wide variety of topics are intelli-
ed; other chapters have been rearranged and trimmed. The chap-
gently explored, although coverage of many subjects would in-
ters on gene and genome evolution (contributed by Scott Edwards)
deed be too shallow for a graduate text or reference work. Of
and development (by John True) surpass the original through the
course, figures are more numerous and more colorful, but almost
inclusion of recent findings, and also have more botanical content.
all are genuinely useful, and the discussion questions following
While the chapter on development in Futuyma (1998) dealt only
each chapter are still thoughtful and sometimes challenging. As
with animals, this new work mentions the ABC model of floral
in Futuyma (1998), the text not only distinguishes almost all po-
development and the genetic cause of different branching patterns
tentially new vocabulary with boldface or small caps, but in some
in maize and teosinte. Indexing has also changed; while examples
sections annoyingly italicizes many key words, phrases or sen-
involving pollination by pseudocopulation in orchids and pollen-
tences, e.g., ‘‘Ichthyostegid amphibians, which were the first terrestrial
mediated gene flow in corn are still mentioned in the text, the
vertebrates and the first tetrapods, evolved from lobe-finned fishes late
index no longer includes the terms ‘‘pollen’’ or ‘‘pollination.’’
in the Devonian.’’ The lazy student can therefore simply skim for
At a time when the teaching of evolution–the foundation of all
italics when cramming for the final. (I hope that this is not becom-
modern biology–is increasingly threatened, it will become ever
ing textbook standard.)
more essential to have textbooks that present the facts simply but
The book begins with a very simple introduction to evolution,
rigorously, and in a style appealing enough to hold the attention
phylogenetics, and the fossil record, then proceeds through topics
of students who may be uninterested at best. Futuyma lays out a
including history of life on Earth, biogeography and biodiversity,
solid case for evolution, providing evidence from molecular sys-
genetic and phenotypic variation and evolution, speciation and the
tematics, paleobiology, morphology, genetics, and animal behavior.
nature of species, reproductive success, coevolution, gene and ge-
In a final chapter, he briefly addresses and demolishes the com-
nome evolution, development, and macroevolution. Numerous ex-
mon arguments of creationists, then discusses some of the essen-
amples make the subjects concrete, while hinting at the over-
tial scientific fields that depend upon an understanding of evolu-
whelming volume of evidence that supports evolutionary theory.
tion. Altogether, he has done an admirable job, although his older
Botanists may dislike the zoocentrism of the text–examples in-
textbook is still in some ways the better.
volving animals greatly outnumber botanical ones, and while the
‘‘history of life’’ chapter is necessarily very terse, plants get short —WENDY L. APPLEQUIST, William L. Brown Center for Plant Ge-
shrift (and one cladogram, while animals get four). Some topics netic Resources, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO 63166-
are omitted or mentioned only in passing, such as antibiotic re- 0299.
sistance in bacteria. No mention is made of adaptations correlated
with island habitat, such as woodiness and dioecy in plants or
LITERATURE CITED
reduced body size in animals. (As evidence for the status of Homo
floresiensis mounts, its absence here may make the book seem pre- FUTUYMA, D. J. 1998. Evolutionary Biology, ed. 3. Sunderland, MA:
maturely dated.) Sinauer Associates.

Systematic Botany (2006), 31(2): pp. 441–442

䉷 Copyright 2006 by the American Society of Plant Taxonomists

Plant life of Kentucky: An Illustrated Guide to the Vascular Plants by
Ronald L. Jones. 2005. 856 pp. ISBN 0-8131-2331-3. $75.00 (cloth).
University of Kentucky Press, Lexington.
Floras are among the most important resources for botanical
research, perhaps only surpassed in value by herbarium collec-
tions. However, they require such a monumental effort to produce
that new or revised publications are few and far between. With
that in mind, I am pleased to report that Ronald Jones’ Plant Life
of Kentucky will ably serve the next generation of Kentucky bota-
nists.
Jones uses the first hundred pages of his book to establish the
regional context. This includes chapters on geology, development
and distribution of plant communities, human impacts, and con-
servation issues. The writing is dense, and the general reader may
be put off by the style. However, copious references will allow
researchers quick access to the primary literature. This is partic-
ularly important, as Jones draws on many historical publications
and regional journals that are easily missed when searching aca-
demic databases.
The highlight of the first section is chapter 11, which presents
biographical sketches of the major figures in the history of Ken-
tucky floristics. Jones includes well-known professional botanists
like Michaux, Rafinesque, and Lucy Braun, while acknowledging
the important recent contributions of local amateurs like Raymond
Athey and Charles Lapham.
This brings us to the taxonomic treatment. The keys are well-
laid out and clearly written. Beginners will appreciate the alternate
key to monocots and dicots, which addresses the many exceptions
to the usual key characters. Another concession for novice bota-
nists is the alphabetical arrangement of taxa within divisions. The
keys are copiously illustrated, primarily with images from Britton
and Brown (1913).
In addition to the usual morphological descriptions and habitat
information for the taxa, Jones includes notes on wildlife value and
toxic properties. While distribution data is limited to the three

441

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 442 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY
physiographic regions (Appalachian Plateau, Interior Low Plateau,
and Mississippi Embayment) of the state, the inclusion of species
not yet known from Kentucky but ‘‘to be expected’’ will provide
motivation for devoted plant hunters.
As a caricologist, I was particularly interested in the Carex key.
In constructing this key, Jones used several characters that I hadn’t
previously considered, and I look forward to testing them out in
the field next season. However, several beakless species (C. aesti-
valis, C. gracillima, and C. roanensis) are keyed ‘‘for convenience’’
as if they were beaked. This certainly won’t be very convenient for
anyone who doesn’t already know what these species look like!
To be fair, any work of this scale is bound to have a few errors in
it, and extensive use by a diverse readership will quickly uncover
them.
Jones has targeted a wide audience for this book, hoping that
high school teachers will adopt it for use in special projects. It will
be a rare and wonderful teacher that takes on this task! However,
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[Volume 31
the extensive illustrated glossary will be a great tool for university
students and amateur botanists alike.
I have no doubt that Plant Life of Kentucky will quickly become
the standard reference for Kentucky botanists. The need for such
a reference is driven home by Jones’ emphasis throughout the text
of the ongoing loss of diversity in the state. His flora will be an
important tool in cataloging this decline, and ultimately, one
hopes, in finding ways to reverse it.
—TYLER SMITH, Plant Science, McGill University, Ste. Anne de
Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9.
LITERATURE CITED
BRITTON, N.L., and A. BROWN. 1913. An illustrated flora of northern
United States and Canada. 3 vols. Reprinted (1970), Dover Pub-
lications, New York.