Living World 2004

In this issue we have eleven research papers and seven nature notes. We also pay tribute to Professor Peter R. Bacon, Sylvia Kacal and T. Francis “Frankie” Farrell.

Cover Photograph: The bromeliads, which are monocots, include 46 genera and 2110 tropical American species. One species occurs in West tropical Africa. There are a few that are found in the American subtropics. Bromeliads grow as terrestrial xeromorphic pachycauls (having a thick stem) or as stemless epiphytic herbs. The bromeliad most people are familiar with is the pineapple (Ananas comosus) a native of South America. The fruit is a multiple organ, formed by the coalescence of the fruits of a hundred or more individual flowers. The most important pineapple producing area is Hawaii