Spot-characters for the Identification of Malesian Seed Plants

The Malesia botanical region encompasses Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Timor Leste. This biologically diverse area likely harbors over 41,000 species of seed plants. Understanding and effectively conserving the plant life in this region hinges on the comprehensive identification of its components, including families, genera, and species.

While expertise in plant taxonomy may be highly specialized, the use of spot-characters—distinctive features that aid in the identification of a species, alliance, or group—can be invaluable. Compiled lists of as many as 119 spot-characters have proven to be a useful additional tool for identifying Malesian seed plants. These characters encompass a wide range, from growth form and vegetative characteristics to features of inflorescences, flowers, fruits, and seeds.

This resource is valuable for students, foresters, botanists, and anyone interested in identifying and understanding Malesia’s seed plants. It emphasizes characters found on herbarium specimens, many of which are also observable in fresh material. Additionally, it includes a number of commonly noted ‘field characters’ found only in living plants, which collectors frequently mention in their collecting labels. Most characters are illustrated by photographs.