Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. The distribution and evolution of climbing plants Alwyn H. Gentry; Part II. Climbing Mechanics and Stem Form: 2. Anatomy of vine and liana stems: a review and synthesis Sherwin Carlquist; 3. Biochemical studies of vines Francise Putz and Frank W. Ewers; 4. Structural responses to stem injury in vines Jack B. Fisher and Frank W. Ewers; Part III. Vine Physiology and Development: 5. Water flux and xylem structure in vines Frank W. Ewers, Jack B. Fisher and Klaus Fichtner; 6. Reserve economy of vines Harold A. Mooney and Barbara L. Gartner; 7. Photosynthesis and gas exchange of vines Alejandro E. Castellanos; 8. Heteroblastic development in vines David W. Lee and Jennifer H. Richards; 9. Physiological ecology of mesic, temperature woody vines Alan H. Teramura, Warren G. Gold and Irwin N. Forseth; 10. Secondary compounds in vines with an emphasis on those with defensive functions Mervyn P. Hegarty, Elwyn E. Hegarty and Alwyn H. Gentry; Part IV. Community Ecology of Vines: 11. Distribution and abundance of vines in forest communities Elwyn E. Hegarty and Guy Caballé; 12. Vines in arid and semi-arid ecosystems Philip W. Rundel and Tamara Franklin; 13. Vine-host interactions E. E. Hegarty; 14. Seasonality of climbers: a review and example from Costa Rican dry forest Paul A. Opler, Herbert G. Baker and Gordon W. Frankie; 15. Breeding and dispersal systems of lianas Alwyn H. Gentry; Part V. Economic Importance of Vines: 16. The ethnobotany and economic botany of tropical vines Oliver Phillips; 17. Biology, utlization, and silvicutural management of rattan palms Stephen F. Siebert; 18. Silvicultural effects of lianas Francis E. Putz; Indices.