This bryophyte flora of Southwest Asia is the first comprehensive, structured synthesis of the current knowledge available on the liverworts, mosses and hornworts of this region. The area covers Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sinai Peninsula, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (incl. Socotra Island), summarized to a great extent as 'Asia 5' in the 'Index Muscorum'. In total, 1193 taxa (229 liverworts, 959 mosses, 5 hornworts) and nearly 2000 names and synonyms were treated in the dichotomous keys presented, including annotations to critical, doubtful or erroneously recorded species. 14 taxa represent new country/regional records and are listed together with their collecting data in a separate paragraph.

The book includes all bryophytes known to date within the large and geomorphologically varied area. Many of the species are important initial colonizers of bare rocks, crusts and soil surfaces of steppes and deserts of this region and therefore forerunners in vascular plant colonization and succession. Because they serve as indicators of ecological disturbances and air quality, their knowledge is of fundamental importance for understanding phytodiversity and ecosystem evolution.

This flora provides users with an up to date tool for at least a preliminary identification of any bryophyte in the area and may stimulate and promote greater interest in this often neglected or overlooked plant group.

The flora is recommended to all botanists and ecologists, interested in bryophyte flora and vegetation, biodiversity, and nature conservation.

The geographical region of Southwest Asia covers 16 countries and regions, i. e. Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sinai Peninsula, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen (including Socotra Island). Most part of this region is generally a harsh and dry place which is unfavorable for bryophytes. Although the general diversity is low, some groups remain quite diverse and unique, for example, taxa of Pottiaceae and Grimmiaceae.

Compared to other regions of Asia, Southwest Asia has received less study, except for the countries of Turkey and Israel, in terms of bryophyte flora. This book, Liverworts, Mosses and Hornworts of Southwest Asia (Marchantiophyta, Bryophyta, Anthocerotophyta), is the first comprehensive and update account of the bryophyte flora of this region. Totally, 1, 182 taxa (229 liverworts, 948 mosses, and 5 hornworts) were recognized, of which, 14 taxa were reported as new country records. About 2,000 names and synonyms were treated in total.

The book is a summary based on a series of identification keys published by the first author from 2001 to 2008 (Kürschner 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008). The arrangement of families largely follows the system of Frey & Stech (2009). This book consists of different kinds of keys from phyla to species, and the first key is of the suprafamilial taxa. The main body of the book is divided into three parts, Marchantiophyta (liverworts), Bryophyta (mosses), and Anthocerotophyta (hornworts). Each part supplies a conspectus of classification (only taxa occurring in Southwest Asia) first, followed by keys to classes, orders, families, genera and species. In each family, only one key is supplied, combining genera and species. Under each species, the abbreviations for the distributional range (within this region) are also added. In addition, annotations to critical, doubtful or erroneously recorded taxa are supplied.

The keys work well for most of taxa. Unfortunately, for the big families, such as Pottiaceae, the keys are long and complicated. If they had been divided into several smaller keys, for example, keys to subfamilies, they would be much more friendly to the users.

The book will be useful not only for the workers from Southwest Asia but also for those in adjacent regions, including northwestern China (including the provinces of Xizang and Xinjiang), western India, and T 俟rkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. In addition, this book will be a good reference for comparing the floristic affinities between Southwest Asia and other regions.

Dr. Zhang Li, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

Plant Diversity and Resources 34(2):150, 2012