Bryophytes were a pivotal step in land plant evolution, and their significance in the regulation of ecosystems and the conservation of biodiversity is becoming increasingly acknowledged. This introductory textbook assumes no prior knowledge of bryophyte biology, making it ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as amateur botanists. The authors expertly summarise the diversity of bryophytes and outline recent advances in our understanding of their evolutionary history, their ecological roles and preferences, their distribution patterns and conservation needs. The text is highly illustrated throughout, with boxed summaries of topics of current relevance in bryophyte biology, and a glossary of technical terms.

Molecular Systematics of Bryophytes: Progress, Problems and Perspectives, was an internationally attended symposium held at the Missouri Botanical Garden, September 6 and 7, 2003. Attendees from a dozen countries, representing a global bryological community, participated in the event. The symposium program featured twenty-nine speakers discussing various aspects of the molecular systematics of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts). The result of this gathering of imminent botanical researchers is the book now before you, twenty-one chapters divided into five areas of concentration: (1) Bryophytes and Evolution of Land Plants; (2) Hornwort Phylogeny; (3) Liverwort Phylogeny; (4) Moss Phylogeny; and (5) Phylogeography.

Floristic treatment of species of the genus Peltigera, the first made in light of recent taxonomic developments. The report summarizes the diversity of the genus occurring in Alberta and makes available a comprehensive key to the local species. A morphological description is provided for all species and each is illustrated by photographs. All Albertan specimens examined were mapped. A discussion on variation and some information on ecology and distribution in Alberta follows each description. General distribution patterns for North America are based on literature and additional North American collections examined.

In the humid forests of Cape Horn, a single tree can host more than 100 species of little epiphyte plants. The floor of the forest and the rocks are also covered by numerous species of liverworts, mosses, and lichens. The decision to stop at a tree or rock and explore these "miniature forests" generates an authentic ecotourism experience. In a small area we can spend several minutes or hours with a magnifying glass or camera discovering the colors, shapes, and textures of the most diverse organisms of Cape Horn. This guidebook enhances exploration by providing information to understand the architecture, life cycles, and identification of taxonomic groups of the organisms that form them.