Palms of New Guinea
From exquisite palmlets to graceful canopy giants, palms dominate rainforests of New Guinea, one of last tropical wilderness areas on the planet.
New Guinea is the world’s largest tropical island and a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. Its extraordinary flora and remarkable 250 species of palm are vital for the people of New Guinea, who depend on them for their survival.
Alongside over 650 photographs and 250 detailed maps, botanical artists Lucy T Smith has illustrated all species featured in Palms of New Guinea. This is the first comprehensive account of these immensely important plants, covering their taxonomy, identification, distribution, habitat, conservation status and much more. Written by nine scientific experts, this is an essential companion for anyone studying or working in the region.
William J. Baker PhD is a Senior Research Leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, working on the taxonomy, phylogenetics, biogeography and conservation of flowering plants. For 30 years, he has specialised in palms, especially rattans and arecoids, making significant contributions to understanding of the evolution and classification of the family using evidence from DNA. He has studied palms extensively in the field in the Pacific, Africa, Madagascar, Borneo and, of course, New Guinea. He co-authored the second edition of Genera Palmarum (Kew Publishing, 2008) and co-edits PALMS, journal of the International Palm Society.
Lucy T. Smith MA is an award-winning botanical artist who has illustrated plants professionally for 30 years, many of those at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which holds hundreds of her illustrations in its collection. Australian born, Lucy first began drawing and painting palms in Townsville, North Queensland before settling in Kew to work as a freelance botanical artist specialising in palms. She is passionate about combining art and science to document the diversity of the plant world.
