An introductory undergraduate text suitable for a course devoted to the systematics of angiosperms or vascular plants, requiring only a background in introductory botany or biology. Incorporates phylogenetic principles and methods throughout, from a careful explanation of basic methods and principles to the taxonomic survey of vascular plant families in the last two chapters. Orders and families are recircumscribed to represent monophyletic groups, largely following the most recent classification of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. Sources of taxonomic evidence are discussed, as well as molecular taxonomic methods and the history of plant classification. Botanical nomenclature and herbarium methods are covered in two appendixes. Abundantly illustrated and includes expanded CD-ROM containing over 2,200 photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)