Contains more than 600 colour photos, showing approx. 450 species. Included are photographic studies of plant and flower details and views of habitat. An alphabetical discussion of species includes all of those illustrated and others of botanical or taxonomic interest. Dr Wood's comprehensive account of Dendrobium and related genera is the result of 25 year's research. Subjects include morphology, physiology, taxonomy, biogeography, plate tectonics, ecology and evolution. Following recent molecular studies, he divides the genera into two major clades, one tracing to India and the other to Australia, and follows their distribution from Asia and Australia to Guam and Tahiti.