Orchids
of Guatemala and Belize

John Skillcorn

Author: Oakes Ames and Donovan Stewart Correll
Publisher: Dover Publications Inc. New York
ISBN: 0-486-24834-8
Price: £19.95

The Publisher says:
This thorough and exhaustive botanical classic by the late Professor Oakes Ames, director of the Botanical Museum of Harvard University, and Donovan Stewart Correll, formerly Research Associate at that museum, presents all the known orchids of Guatemala and Belize (formerly British Honduras).

A total of 527 species of orchids and 25 varieties in 89 genera comprise this monumental study. All of the genera are illustrated, as well as more than one hundred additional species in 204 accurate black-and-white illustrations. Detailed entries for each orchid give distinguishing characteristics, colour, flower descriptions, precise measurements, natural habitat, soil conditions and more.

Among the major genera covered are:

            and dozens of others.

Originally published by the Chicago Natural History Museum in two volumes and a supplement, and out of print for many years, Orchids of Guatemala and Belize is now accessible in one practical, affordable edition. Botanists, students, teachers and anyone interested in nature and the extraordinary beauty of orchids will find this volume indispensable for study and reference.

Republication of Orchids of Guatemala, Chicago Natural History Museum, Fieldiana: Botany, Vol. 26, No. 1, 1952; Vol. 26, No. 2, 1953, and the Supplement to Orchids of Guatemala and British Honduras, 1965. 204 black-and-white illustrations.  800pp. 5" x 8" Paperbound.

My comments:
This really is a monumental work and as I have said of other books in these simple reviews, one wonders where the author started in the work which finally culminated in the published book.

This consists of almost 800 pages and is profusely illustrated with line drawings, some of which are in minute detail.  This was originally published as three separate volumes, but has been combined into this single book.  Surprisingly, although of necessity it is quite technical in places, the author has succeeded in keeping the format of the book quite readable so that most people (including myself!) can gain something by reading the text.

There are keys for identification purposes as well as detailed descriptions of the genera and species and perhaps an illustration.  Altogether quite accessible.

I suspect, though, that some of the classification is now a little out of date.

If Central and South American orchids are your thing, then this would be a very useful book to have on your book shelf.  At the price, quite a bargain when one considers the amount of work that must have gone into its creation.