Q. Descriptions of the genera?
A manual is a book that contains information on the area of coverage and keys and descriptions of the families, genera and species including the accepted scientific name, followeal by the author of that name, major synonyms, information on intraspecific taxa if any, ecological and distributional data and common names. Many manuals have been revised and reprinted numerous times. 'For example Grays (1950) Manual of Botany is now in its eight edition. Such manuals become the standard reference for the flora of a particular area of coverage. Recent trends in taxonomy require much attention to detail and documentation of the taxa by means of herbarium specimens deposited in recognised herbaria. A modem floristic researcher diverts much attention to typification, nomenclature, distribution and ecology, in addition to the basic comparative morphology.