Language: English with extended Spanish descriptions
Since the founding of the Herbarium of the Asociación Mexicana de Orquideología (AMO) in 1976, it has been their aim to eventually produce a reference guide to the orchids of Mexico, as well as to the genera which they monograph. The problem in producing such monographs is that al! the species in the group must be understood throughout their distribution range, and this is often difficult because many species are widespread in the neotropics and others, closely related, are endemic to other countries where we have not been able to get a full knowledge of the their distribution, ecology and taxonomy.
What then to do with a lot of information and many illustrations which are available, and which do not merit a paper in a journal, but if put together, would provide in time a manual to the species of Mexico, or a genus, or even contribute generally to the knowledge of the orchids? The publication of a series of botanical quality illustrations, with complete information that represents the current knowledge about the particular species seems to be a very useful compromise. This first volume covers only Mexican species.