Palms and People in the Amazon [Paperback]

This book explores the degree to which landscapes have been enriched with palms by human activities and the importance of palms for the lives of people in the region today and historically. Palms are a prominent feature of many landscapes in Amazonia, and they are important culturally, economically, and for a variety of ecological roles they play. Humans have been reorganizing the biological furniture in the region since the first hunters and gatherers arrived over 20,000 years ago.

Palms and Cultural Landscapes.- Acrocomia aculeate.- Aiphanes aculeate.- Aphandra Natalia.- Astrocaryum acaule.- Astrocaryum aculeatum.- Astrocaryum chambira.- Astrocaryum gynacanthum.- Astrocaryum jauari.- Astrocaryum murumuru.- Astrocaryum vulgare.- Attalea butyracea.- Attalea maripa.- Attalea phalerata.- Attalea racemosa.- Attalea sagotii.- Attalea speciosa.- Attalea spectabilis.- Bactris acanthocarpa.- Bactris bidentula.- Bactris bifida.- Bactris brongniartii.- Bactris concinna.- Bactris gasipaes.- Bactris hirta.- Bactris major.- Bactris maraja.- Bactris martiana.- Bactris riparia.- Copernicia alba.- Desmoncus polyacanthos.- Elaeis oleifera.- Euterpe catinga.- Euterpe oleracea.- Euterpe precatoria.- Geonoma deversa.- Geonoma macrostachys.- Geonoma maxima.- Iriartea deltoidea.- Iriartella setigera.- Leopoldinia major.- Leopoldinia piassaba.- Leopoldinia pulchra.- Lepidocaryum tenue.- Manicaria saccifera.- Mauritia carana.- Mauritia flexuosa.- Mauritiella armata.- Oenocarpus bacaba.- Oenocarpus bataua.- Oenocarpus distichus.- Oenocarpus mapora.- Phytelephas macrocarpa.- Raphia taedigera.- Socratea exorrhiza.- Syragus inajai.- Wettinia maynensis.- References.- Appendix 1.- Appendix 2.

This book is a nice and interesting addition to our understanding of the vital role that palms play in Amazonia. Through its human focus, it will introduce laypeople to this fascinating group of plants. A must. (Rodrigo Bernal, Palms, Vol. 59 (1), 2015)This book explores the degree to whlS,