Gymnosperms, as a group, enjoy a unique position in the world of flora.
The present book is an attempt to include important aspects of living (extant) and fossil (extinct) gymnosperms. It encompasses distribution, morphology, anatomy, reproductive biology, seed biology, ultrastructure and histochemical studies. The book gives a family-wise description of the group based on the representative genus with relevant information on other text for better and fuller understanding. Latest research findings have been included to make the text highly useful and meaningful. Chapters on forest biotechnology and economic importance are a special feature of the book.
The book, besides being profusely illustrated, provides an extensive bibliography. Students of undergraduate and postgraduate classes would find information on gymnosperms under one cover. Multiple Choice Questions (with Answers) has been included in Third Edition.
S.P. Bhatnagar retired as Professor from the Department of Botany, University of Delhi. He was a CAS senior visitor of the British Council and worked at the Botany School, Cambridge, UK. He has visited several laboratories in Europe, Middle East, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, USA and Canada.
He has considerable research and teaching experience in the field of developmental and experimental reproductive biology of angiosperms and gymnosperms. He has participated in several national and international symposia held in India and abroad.
Professor Bhatnagar has published nearly 80 research papers in both Indian and foreign journals, including a monograph on Loranthaceae.
Alok Moitra did his PhD on Reproductive Biology of Gymnosperms from University of Delhi under Professor Bhatnagar, the senior author. He has taught gymnosperms to the undergraduate students and has contributed original research papers and reviews in the subject. Presently he is the director Indian National Science Academy.