Dr. P.S. Ashton (ABD) visited Malaya and Indonesia early in 1978. He is now a member of the newly formed Committee on Research Priorities in Tropical Biology of the U.S. Academy of Sciences. At Kew, Mr. H.M. Burkill is continuing his work on the Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, and is nearing the completion of volume 1, families A—E, 1570 species.