This volume is the second in the series on 'Higher Plants', otherwise termed Phanerogam or Spermatophyte. The earlier volume, 1A, covered several taxa of Phanerogams and one of Bryophyte. A concurrent series (volume 2A, 2B and so on) cover the lower groups, represented by Algae, Fungi, Bryophytes and Lichens. Bryophyte, because of its importance in evolution of seed plants vis-a-vis higher groups, has been included in both volumes. The present volume includes articles dealing with certain fundamental issues of genomics as well as phylogeny and evolution of certain economic agricultural and medicinal crops. Of these, economic crops include coffee, coconut and papaya; medicinals cover Artemisia and Costus; fodder and agricultural crops include Phleum, Lolium and Triticale; horticultural species include Orchis and Allium and forest plant is represented by Populus species. In general, this volume contains discussions on molecular patters of basic angiosperms as well as genomics and phylogeny of different families

Amino Acid Versus Nucleotide Characters for Phylogenetic Interference of the "Basal" Angiosperms; Phylogenetics, Floral Evolution, and Rapid Radiation in the Tropical Monocotyledon Family Costaceae (Zingiberales); Cytogenetic Diversity in Orchis s.l. and Allied Genera (Orchidinae, Orchidaceae); Heterochromatin and Microevolution in Phleum; Molecular Market Technology for the Study of Genetic Variation and Comparative Genetics in Pasture Grasses; Genetic Diversity and Relationships of Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Revealed by Microsatellite Markers; Genome Diversity of Triticale (x Triticosecale Witt.) Using the Chromosome Heterochromatin Marker; Sequencing Populus: An Impetus for Understanding Tree Biodiversity and Evolution; Origin, Evolution, and Diversity of Coffee (Coffee arabica L.) Genome; Molecular Diversity of Carica papaya and Related Species; Artemisia and its Allies: Genome Organization and Evolution and their Biosystematic, Taxonomic, and Phylogenetic Implications in the Artemisiinae and Related Subtribes (Asteraceae, Anthemideae); Mother of Potato; Author Index