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Sorry if this is a duplicate...

David Bundy had asked about Rataj and Horeman (R&H) 
Aquarium Plants book.  I just purchased the book from 
That Fish Place a couple of weeks ago.  It was $19.99,

new and unthumbed.  "Aquarium Plants their
identification, cultivation and ecology" is the name 
of the book.  I like it so far.  

I have heard the grumbling about the book being out of

date and the systematics are challenged often, BUT.  I

offer a different view of the R&H book.  In the
introduction, R&H states that Dr. Rataj is a botanist 
from Czechoslovakia who has studied the taxonomy and 
ecology of aquatic plants.  Wow!  Credentials!  R&H 
also states that Mr Horeman has collected plants from 
their habitat.  This sounds like a pretty good tandem
to write about aquatic plants to me.  I was surprised 
however, that there was not a Reference section.  
Would a good scientist exclude a  reference section or

might TFH want to exclude it to save $$$?  Don't know,

but I found it surprising.

I own several plant books and, in general, I find them

to be very disappointing when I try to identify a 
plant.  Is Baensch or Tepoot or Tropica or anyone else

correct in their identification?  It's pretty hard to 
say.  It becomes partisan if the science isn't clear. 
And I haven't seen much science yet at least with 
respect to the Cryptocorynes.  

My recommendation is to drop the $25 and have the book

shipped.  

Chris
Warren, MI

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