INTRODUCTION

Publication of the first comprehensive handbook on the seeds of trees and shrubs produced by the USDA Forest Service, the Woody-Plant Seed Manual (USDA Misc. Publ. 654), was delayed by World War II until 1948 even though the manuscript was completed in 1941. This first manual included 420 taxa in 140 genera and was invaluable in the boom of tree planting that occurred in the 1950's and 60's. An updated and expanded manual, Seeds of Woody Plants in the United States (USDA Agric. Handbk. 450) was published in 1974. This volume contained data for approximately 800 taxa in 188 genera. Its popularity led to multiple printings, and portions of it were translated into several other languages.

The numerous advances in tree seed technology in the last quarter-century have now dictated the publication of a new revision, again named the Woody Plant Seed Manual. The revision process by a team of Forest Service scientists and cooperators from universities and other government agencies has now been underway for over 6 years. The book will contain almost 1,300 taxa in 230 genera, a considerable increase in the scope of the 1974 handbook. Because such a large undertaking requires so much time and effort by so many people, the finished product is still many months away from release. In order to make the new technology available as soon as possible, a decision was made to post completed portions of the book on this interim website. Here, genus chapters containing text and tables (along with some of the photos and drawings) are presented in preliminary html format. As editing of additional genus chapters is completed, they will appear here.

When all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed, that is, every last little detail we can find is correct scientifically and editorially, the manual will be formatted and made available as a traditional printed book and electronically on a CD-ROM and the final website in Adobe PDF format. We hope that these electronic formats will enable us to update and add to the manual and to keep the manual continually available to all those who need it. Please be assured that production of this interim website will not delay production of the book in any way; it just rearranges the order of what we are doing. Meanwhile, contact us if you have any comments or questions (or found any typos and mistakes!).