This book is an excellent addition to the Annual Plant Reviews series. It takes as its theme the origin and effects of polarity in plants, a vast and one might think unmanageable topic; but Keith Lindsey adopts a characteristically systematic approach to his editorial task. The opening chapter deals with cytoskeletal biology, and there follow chapters on polarity in root hairs and trichomes. Establishment of polarity during Fucus zygote development and higher plant embryogenesis are then reviewed, followed by chapters on roots, the shoot meristem, vascular tissue, lateral organs (leaves, petals, etc.) and inflorescences/flowers. In these eleven chapters there is a wealth of information, and the book fulfils an important role in this rapidly advancing field by providing updated comment.
Given the way the book is organized, overlap and repetition would be expected, and is quite noticeable. Auxin transport appears in many contexts, as does consideration of the cytoskeleton; these are not defects but reflect the central nature of these processes for polarity and plant development. The extent and vigour of the contributions is quite variable – from short tours by Colin Brownlee (Fucus) and Klaus Palme's group (root hairs and auxin transport), to a comprehensive ramble through Arabidopsis embryogenesis and on into root development (Ramon Torres Ruiz), to a positively Himalayan trek by Peter Barlow and colleagues, drawing on information from a wide range of species and sources to provide an account of polarity in the root. This variability is not a problem, provided the reader approaches the book as a source of diverse opinion on a diverse topic. This is also not the kind of book that will be read systematically from start to finish; instead, it offers the opportunity for insight into the role of polarity in a spectrum of plant developmental processes. The emphasis on the central theme of polarity varies, however. There is barely a mention of it in what is, nevertheless, a very useful overview of the shoot apical meristem by Rudiger Simon; yet it occupies a central position in the consideration of lateral organ development by John Bowman.
The quality of presentation is generally good. Figure 2.1 (a diagram of the Arabidopsis root tip showing the location of PIN proteins) appears twice, however; once in colour and once (unintelligably) in black and white. It seems strange to bother with the latter version. The contribution on polarity in cell walls (Przemyslaw Wojtaszek et al.) has just one figure (albeit a large one) in 50 pages of text, so it is essential to have a good imagination when reading that chapter. There are few typographical mistakes and only a few anachronisms: for example, in the chapter on embryogenesis, ‘leave-like organs’ and the remarkable assertion that ‘ … the embryo elaborates from numerous polarities, which serve as archimedic points for the generation of a patterned body … ’. An archimedic point is, presumably, a ‘Eureka’ event in the life of the embryo. But these are really quibbles and the book is a pleasure to read, if occasionally hard going. The question is, who will read it? Advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers interested in any aspect of plant development should consult it. It also has relevance to a wider audience of biological scientists, but the title communicates little to those outside the immediate field; it will be a great pity if the book does not receive the exposure it deserves because of this limitation.