PREFACE

While this second symposium would focus mainly on palm culture and use, as had its predecessor, it was decided that the general interests of the meeting would be best served by increasing its scope to include other tropical monocots as well as Cycads. Both groups share with palms many of their horticultural features and production requirements and indeed are frequently used together in landscaping.

The enormous diversity of palms and other monocots in general means that "new" species are continually finding their way into the ornamental industry. Each case brings with it its particular difficulties, from propagation to marketing, and, of course, the potential risks of disease and pests. A positive offshoot of these introductions is the opportunity they provide for genetic conservation: in many instances, a better understanding of a little known species has contributed to its survival in an increasingly hostile environment, and this can only be to the credit of all those involved, be they laymen, researchers or professional producers.

There can be little doubt that a large body of knowledge awaits the horticulturist at any given time. The subjects dealt with in this Symposium, and the depth to which each is treated, are fairly wide ranging. Also, readers of this Acta may feel that some papers are lacking in nomenclatural rigour; to these readers, the apologies of the Scientific Committee do go beforehand. Although the Committee did find review necessary in a few cases, it felt that the prime emphasis of the Symposium should be horticultural difusion, rather than taxonomic or botanical advances. And in this sense, the Committee considers that it has accomplished its goal and that the variety of information provided by all participants in the Symposium is useful and, perhaps more important, accurately reflects the incipient state of knowledge of many palms and the great expectations that exist for the future regarding improved cultivation techniques and uses.

The success of the Symposium and, it is to be hoped, the present publication is the result of the joint efforts of many people and institutions. On behalf of the Symposium Organizers, I would like to thank the ISHS, the SECH, the ICIA and ASOCAN (Canarian Association of Ornamental Plants Growers) for their continuing support in this endeavour, as well as the many sponsors who provided the necessary financial and logistical support. In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to all the members of the Organizing and Scientific Committees for their generous contributions in terms of both time and effort.