A long time ago botany used to be regarded as the scientia amabilis, the friendly science, eminently suitable for leisured amateurs. Since then, and particularly in this century, it has grown tremendously in its importance and in its intimate contacts with various other disciplines of science, some of which, like plant genetics and plant physiology, at one time indeed used to be included under the broad term botany. In spite of the fact that such subjects have expanded into major scientific fields of their own, botany, the mother science, continues to maintain its central place: this is because it deals with plants which constitute one of the most vital life-supporting systems of this planet. Furthermore, interacting and benefiting from advances made in other sciences, it has steadily progressed in a number of areas. Experimental embryology of vascular plants is one such field where spectacular advances have been made in recent years. The time is therefore particularly opportune for the publication of an authoritative book on the subject. It is very appropriate that the book has been planned and edited by Professor B. M.
Johri, one of India's foremost botanists, whose contributions in embryology, plant morphology and morphogenesis are internationally known. He was closely associated over a number of years with Professor P. Maheshwari, the great botanist and embryologist, to whom the book is dedicated.